The Marijuana Control Board plans to consider the issue during its meeting starting Wednesday in Anchorage. The five-member board will be short-handed, with one member out of state and one seat vacant.

The board would need to get public comment on proposed changes to the rules. The board also could have staff rework the proposed changes or do nothing. Board chairman Mark Springer said all three of the members expected to attend would have to agree to pass something, though he noted that if a motion were to fail, an issue could be revived later.

New rules specify conditions stores must meet to be authorized for onsite consumption. The rules refer to stores in freestanding buildings, consistent with language in a statewide smoke-free workplace law, and include ventilation requirements.

The proposed changes would allow stores not in freestanding buildings to have onsite consumption of edibles only. Ventilation systems would be required for onsite use areas allowing smoking.

Consumption areas still would need to be separated from the rest of the stores.