FAIRBANKS — An effort failed on Thursday to bring a marijuana tax to the voters in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

The assembly called a special meeting to vote on a tax measure, which would have gone on the October ballot, but two assembly members were absent and none of the various tax rates suggested could gain the five votes necessary for approval.

Alaska voters approved recreational marijuana legalization and regulation during the 2014 Election. Alaska joined Oregon and Washington D.C. who also voted to legalize in 2014, and Colorado and Washington who voted to legalize in 2012. The proposed rules that will govern the recreational marijuana industry in Alaska were released yesterday. Below are some of the provisions found in the proposal, via Alaska Dispatch News:

The group setting up Alaska’s rules for commercial marijuana is on pace to finish regulations by a November 24th deadline. But just barely.

The Marijuana Control Board is running out of time and money as it builds the framework for legal sales.

The board’s five members spent two full days discussing line after line of new marijuana rules with state regulators, lawyers, and members of the public. It is not glamorous work developing what could be described as the nitty-gritty particulars of industry regulation. The second day–all eight hours–was dedicated to just one topic area.

ANCHORAGE -- The Marijuana Control Board presented the final set of proposed regulations at a meeting Monday, a chapter some pro-pot advocates consider controversial because it includes an article banning marijuana social clubs.

“It was the campaign to regulate marijuana like alcohol so we’re taking a hard look at our alcohol rules and statutes and see whether or not they fit,” said Cynthia Franklin, director of the ABC Board.

The language is based on an alcohol regulation.

“It’s been a law for over 30 years, that someone cannot open a place for people to come together, drink and pay an entry fee, and not be a licensed liquor establishment, by virtue of inviting people from the public and pay a free to come and drink with them,” said Franklin.

ANCHORAGE -

The Alaska Cannabis Club, owned by a former TV reporter turned pot supporter, was raided on Friday by the Anchorage Police Department -- the second local marijuana company to be hit in two days by APD officers.

KNIK-FAIRVIEW — Anchorage Police visited a Valley business and residence Thursday as part of an apparent investigation into local drug facilities.

At least one marked APD car was parked on a quiet residential street in a residential neighborhood. Kids played in the open and dogs wandered through neighborhood yards. Several patrol cars arrived at the house about 4 p.m., neighbors said. Five remained by the time a Frontiersman reporter arrived on-scene about 6:30 p.m. Two hours later, police officers quietly entered the home, and could be seen moving from window-to-window. They emerged from the house along Snug Harbor Avenue about 8:30 p.m. carrying several shopping bags, cartons, and a plastic milk jug. By about 9 p.m., they drove off.

Dear Johnny:

The Marijuana Control Board has issued its second round of proposed rules, and the public is invited to comment by 4:30 p.m., Saturday, August 8. Please take a look at the proposal, available here, which provides extensive rules for licensed businesses. While most of the proposed rules offer reasonable regulations, several would clearly violate important protections established under Measure 2.

FAIRBANKS — A pair of leaders of an organization looking to influence pot policy in Alaska stepped down owing to a conflict of interest because they both belong to the state Marijuana Control Board.

Brandon Emmett, executive director and founding member of the Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Legislation, and coalition spokesman Bruce Schulte have both resigned from the coalition, the group announced in a statement on Wednesday.

Cannabis is going global fast – Italy’s Parliament just voted for a legalized, regulated cannabis market, Denmark’s youth is consuming cannabis in droves but it’s no gateway, and the United Kingdom just reached a record high number of supporters for legalization in the isles. On this side of the pond, United States lawmakers are thinking ahead and making plans that could change the game completely. We’ve got the latest in cannabis legalization efforts:

U.S. Cannabis Updates

NATIONWIDE

Conrad Daley, executive director of the Alaska Cannabis Grower’s Association, tried to get his organization a bank account for months, and has yet to keep one. Two months after finally securing an account with an Alaska KeyBank branch, he received an account closure notice from the bank’s Ohio headquarters with a check for the balance.

“It’s exactly what we’d feared,” said Daley.

Marijuana possession might be legal in Alaska, but state marijuana commerce will stay as black a market as bootlegged rum during Prohibition until banks find ways to operate under restrictive financial laws stemming from the Controlled Substances Act.