Anchorage Initiative Hearing on Ballot Measure 2,
The government taxes and regulates alcohol and tobacco.  They are legal drugs that do not have medical applications.   If a person wants to keep their job or find a job, they are the only legal choice.  People take marijuana for many reasons from medical issues to mere recreation.  It is proven beyond any doubt that alcohol and tobacco lead to cancer, domestic violence, deadly auto accidents, and death by alcoholism.  There is no such proof that marijuana is dangerous, when used responsibly by adult citizens.  Legalize marijuana like alcohol and tobacco.
Marijuana stays in the body for about 30 days.  But all the hard drugs are gone in 1 to 3 days.  The folks that do crack, meth, Ecstasy, and heroin on Friday night test clean by Monday.  Is that who you want working next to you?  I sure don’t.  Someone who takes marijuana on the first of the month will not test clean till the first of the next month.  Is it any ones business what someone did harmlessly on vacation a month ago?  No, as long as it does not affect their job performance.  Is it fair to cut lots of people out of the workforce, so heavy drug users can have those jobs?  In my opinion it is unfair.  By legalizing marijuana, a trickle down effect may be employers taking marijuana out of drug testing for jobs, like alcohol and tobacco.   
The taxes from marijuana will be an important revenue stream for our villages, cities, state, and federal government.  The cultivation, distribution, testing, retail, and support services, will bring more jobs.  It will keep non violent people out of our overcrowded jails and give some relief to our over burdened legal system.  Don’t block our contributions to society, by making it harder to get jobs, and tarnishing our legal records.  Legalize it, and regulate like alcohol and tobacco.  

Thanks for your consideration, Zen