NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON MEDICAL USE OF MARIJUANA PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION The Department of Health proposes to change regulations on the medical use of marijuana program requirements. |
Summary of proposed changes: The Department of Health proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with the medical use of marijuana program requirements. The proposed changes include the following:
- 7 AAC 34.020. Application for registry identification card, is proposed to be changed as follows:
- remove social security number from reporting requirements for the medical use of marijuana.
- 7 AAC 34.030. Primary care-giver, is proposed to be repealed.
- The intended effect of this repeal is to allow an individual to be a primary caregiver for multiple medical marijuana card holders.
- 7 AAC 34.040. Review and verification; return for incompleteness, is proposed to be changed as follows:
- remove the requirement that a card be issued without a designated a primary caregiver if the primary caregiver on the application is already a caregiver for another patient who holds a valid registry identification card; and
- conform to other amendments by removing reference to being required to identify a new primary caregiver in a revised application.
- 7 AAC 34.050. Grounds for denial of a registration card. 7 AAC 34.050(b) is proposed to be repealed.
- The intended effect of the repeal is to allow an applicant to designate as a primary caregiver a person who is also designated as the primary caregiver of another patient who holds a valid registration card.
- 7 AAC 34.060. Expiration of registration, is proposed to be changed as follows:
- extend the expiration date of a registry identification card from 12 months to 24 months after the date of issuance.
- 7 AAC 34.090. Updating information, is proposed to be amended to change phrasing from “care-giver” to “caregiver,” so that the regulatory language conforms to AS 17.37.010, and to update the language of the timing requirements to provide additional clarity.
- 7 AAC 34.200. Petitions for addition of debilitating conditions, is proposed to be amended to update language of the timing requirement to provide additional clarity, and to reduce unnecessary redundancy in the regulation.
- 7 AAC 34.990. Definitions, is proposed to be amended by repealing several unnecessary definitions that mirror the definitions provided in statute. Specifically, the following definitions are proposed for repeal: 7 AAC 34.990(2), (6), (7), (8), and (10) – (12).
Written comments: You may comment on the regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the changes, by submitting written comments to Abigail Newby-Kew, Ph.D., State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Public Health, Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0675. Additionally, the Department of Health will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-3618 and by electronic mail at doh.havrs.info@alaska.gov .
Written comment deadline: The written comments must be received not later than 5:00 p.m. on November 6, 2026.
Oral hearing: You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action via telephone at the hearing to be held on October 29, 2026, by calling telephone number 1-888-392-4560 (US Toll-free), and using the passcode number 97730062#.
There will not be in-person attendance provided at the hearing site, so please prepare to share your oral comments by telephone only. The hearing is scheduled from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., and priority will be given to commenters on the line before the beginning of the hearing. The hearing may be extended to accommodate those on the line before 12:30 p.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment. Before the start of the hearing, Department of Health may limit the time allotted for each person providing oral testimony, as reasonably necessary to conclude the hearing in the time provided.
Questions: You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Abigail Newby-Kew, Ph.D., Department of Health, Division of Public Health, by electronic mail at doh.havrs.info@alaska.gov , or at the State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Public Health, Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0675. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Health will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.
Public nature of comments and questions: Public comments and questions, once submitted, are public records and subject to disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act. See AS 40.25.100 - 40.25.295. Do NOT include in your comments or questions any information that you do not want made public.
Accommodations: If you are a person with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in this process, please contact Abigail Newby-Kew, Ph.D., by electronic mail at doh.havrs.info@alaska.gov , or by telephone at (907) 465-8643 not later than October 21, 2026, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
Obtaining copies of proposed regulations: A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Ms. Abigail Newby-Kew, by electronic mail at doh.havrs.info@alaska.gov , or by telephone at (907) 465-8643.
Final version of regulations: After the public comment period ends, the Department of Health will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.
Statutory authority: AS 17.37.010; AS 17.37.040; AS 17.37.050; AS 17.37.060; AS 18.05.040.
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 17.37.010; AS 17.37.040; AS 17.37.050; AS 18.05.040.
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
How to receive further notices: The Department of Health, Division of Public Health, keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all the Department of Health, Division of Public Health, notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Department of Health, Division of Public Health to
doh.havrs.info@alaska.gov giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
Individuals can also signup to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.
DATE: September 11, 2026.
/s/Heidi Hedberg
Commissioner,
Department of Health
State of Alaska.