SB 74-CRIMES INVOLVING MARIJUANA/OTHER DRUGS                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:44:42 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR RALPH SEEKINS announced SB 74 to be up for consideration.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
DR.  TIMOTHY  HINTERBERGER,  associate professor,  University  of                                                               
Alaska Anchorage,  testified on  behalf of himself  in opposition                                                               
to SB 74. He read  a previously prepared written statement, which                                                               
is included in the bill packet.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:55:43 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR CHARLIE  HUGGINS asked Dr.  Hinterberger to  conclude his                                                               
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
DR. HINTERBERGER  summarized his belief the  findings were flawed                                                               
and misrepresent scientific consensus.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:58:55 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGGINS asked  Dr.  Hinterberger  to describe  marijuana                                                               
based on his expertise.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DR. HINTERBERGER  said he would  agree marijuana is  a relatively                                                               
benign  drug. It  is  not  completely harmless  but  it does  not                                                               
compare to harmful drugs.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HUGGINS  inquired  of  Dr. Hinterberger  his  advice  to                                                               
teenagers concerning marijuana.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
DR.  HINTERBERGER informed  his  advice would  be  to have  solid                                                               
scientific  information  on  all  substances  they  consume.  The                                                               
information  given  by the  government  is  not accurate.  It  is                                                               
exaggerated and not factual.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:02:41 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  SEEKINS  asked  Dr. Hinterberger  whether  he  was  saying                                                               
information from  the White House  Office on Drug  Control Policy                                                               
was inaccurate.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  HINTERBERGER asserted  much of  the information  coming from                                                               
the White  House is  skewed and inaccurate.  They tend  to ignore                                                               
scientific review articles and scientific consensus.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SEEKINS interrupted  work  on  SB 74  to  attend to  other                                                               
business.                                                                                                                       
           SB 74-CRIMES INVOLVING MARIJUANA/OTHER DRUGS                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RALPH SEEKINS  announced SB 74 to be  up for consideration.                                                               
He closed public  testimony on SB 74 and moved  Version \F as the                                                               
working document before the committee.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS objected for explanation of changes.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. DEAN  GUANELI, chief  assistant attorney  general, Department                                                               
of Law (DOL),  advised the changes were in  the revised findings.                                                               
There was  a slight  change on  Page 6, line  1, which  makes the                                                               
selling of  less than  one ounce a  misdemeanor and  selling more                                                               
than an ounce a felony.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:15:35 AM                                                                                                                    
Section 7 repeals  Page 6 lines 3-6. The  changes largely reflect                                                               
suggestions made by Senator French.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR CHARLIE  HUGGINS moved CSSB  74(JUD) from  committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being no objection, the motion carried.