Skagway, Alaska preparing for marijuana sales by spring

Businesses in Skagway, Alaska could be legally selling pot by spring, according to a municipal official.

Borough clerk, Emily Deach, says the municipality is in the process of setting up the legal framework for businesses to grow and sell marijuana. The local marijuana control board and the city have been fine-tuning regulations for the past month. 

"It sounds, from what I hear from the community, is people see an opportunity here and so I think they're excited about it, mostly," Deach said.

"It's a brand new thing, so I think that everyone is sort of just waiting to see what happens, and you know there's going to be a lot of issues that sort of come out of the woodwork."

Alaskan voters, last year, passed the state's initiative legalizing recreational pot use by those 21 and older. Last month, the state's Marijuana Control Board, which is writing rules for the industry, voted to allow for people to use pot at certain stores that will sell it.

Deach expects Skagway to be ready to issue marijuana licenses to local shops by May.