Alaska Marijuana Jobs and Cannabis Careers

If you’re looking to get hired in the weed industry in the Last Frontier, check out our Alaska marijuana jobs and cannabis careers guide. Knowing the laws about the state is the first step toward getting a marijuana job in Alaska. With relevant experience, you can work at a number of entry-level jobs or management positions in retail, cultivation, manufacturing, and ancillary jobs.

Alaska’s Medical and Recreational Marijuana Laws

Medical and recreational marijuana use is legal in Alaska. Alaska first decriminalized marijuana possession in 1975. Medicinal cannabis use was legalized in 1998 after voters approved the Alaska Medical Marijuana Initiative. In 2014, voters passed Measure 2, effectively, making Alaska the third state to legalize recreational marijuana.

Under the law, both medical and recreational users in Alaska are allowed to possess a limit of one ounce of cannabis flower and one ounce of cannabis concentrates. Adults over 21 can grow up to six plants, albeit, only three of the plants can be mature and flowering at one time. A legal user may transfer up to one ounce of marijuana to another adult.

Keep in mind, cities, and communities are allowed to pass laws that restrict commercial marijuana activity within their jurisdiction. In December 2018, the Marijuana Control Board voted to allow on-site consumption, which would go into effect in April 2019. Social consumption businesses are likely to open sometime in 2020.

Alaska’s Cannabis Employment Opportunities

Alaska’s marijuana industry is on an upswing increasing 20 percent in sales in 2019 to $181.5 million. In 2019, Alaska supported an estimated 3,559 full-time marijuana jobs. On-site consumption laws are set to support local consumption and tourism in 2020 and beyond to increase the state’s steady job growth.

Alaska’s job count may seem paltry compared to California with the most cannabis employees at 39,804, but the future looks bright for Alaska. Average wholesale cannabis flower prices remain strong, which is a good indicator of market equilibrium. If you’re looking for an exciting career opportunity in Alaska, look no further than the green rush.

If you’re planning on working as a budtender, trimmer, or any other cannabis employee in Alaska, you are going to need to get a marijuana handler permit from the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office in Alaska. You must pay $50 for the card, which is valid for three years and requires you to undergo training and a background check.

Marijuana Cultivation Jobs in Alaska

Trimmers in Alaska must be focused, motivated, and reliable. Alaska trimmer jobs require you to manicure and prepare cannabis flower buds for sale. In many cultivation sites, no previous trimming experience is needed to be hired. You must, however, possess a marijuana handler card. Trimmers can earn about $14 an hour.

A master grower in Alaska is in charge of overseeing all aspects of growing including plant health, grow cycles and schedules, pest management, and harvesting. Master growers manage a team of assistants, trimmers, and packagers who train plants, prune, and maximize their yields for commercial purposes.

Years of previous experience in managing plant or cannabis cultivation is preferred. Cultivation leaders may require a Bachelor’s degree in horticulture, plant physiology, or botany. Master growers can earn between $100,000 and $125,000 a year.

Marijuana Dispensary Jobs in Alaska

Budtenders are one of the most critical Alaska dispensary jobs in the industry. Budtenders provide quality customer service to consumers looking for relief. You may be responsible for weighing out each sale, recommending products, and using a POS system. You may also be in charge of stocking and merchandising the store.

For this customer service job, you may need at least a year of previous experience in retail, sales, cash-handling, or budtending positions. In Alaska, you’ll need an Alaska Marijuana Handlers Card and the city’s food handlers car to work in a dispensary. Budtenders can earn between $12 and $16 an hour.

Dispensary store managers must also have state and local marijuana handlers cards to work in a dispensary. Previous experience in retail management and sales, as well as experience with staff scheduling and payroll management, may be preferred. Dispensary managers can earn between $40,000 and $60,000 a year.

Marijuana Ancillary Jobs in Alaska

Marijuana jobs in Alaska don’t just stop at retail and cultivation. Ancillary cannabis jobs in accounting, law, security, and marketing are hiring employees with a passion for cannabis and relevant work experience. Alaska’s social consumption laws may also open up the state’s tourism industry who will be searching for knowledgeable and passionate employees.

Where to Find Marijuana Jobs in Alaska?

Alaska’s wide and majestic terrain has carved out a small niche for the cannabis industry. Marijuana jobs in Alaska can be found in a handful of cities, especially urban centers such as Anchorage and Fairbanks. Anchorage is, by far, the best place for pot employment. You can also find some cannabis job opportunities in Wasilla, Alaska. In Juneau, social consumption has been approved, so expect some more weed jobs in Alaska in the near future.

Alaska Marijuana College

Signing up for a renowned Alaska Marijuana College can help you supplement your cannabis knowledge so you can get started working in the marijuana industry. A relatively small investment in your cannabis education can give you a bird’s eye view of the entire industry and help you understand everything from cannabis cultivation practices to how to start a business.

Sign up for CTU’s online marijuana college courses today!