Idaho voters may finally get a chance to legalize medical cannabis in November.
After months of organizing, the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho has collected more than 100,000 signatures to qualify the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act for the upcoming general election, according to Idaho Capital Sun.
If voters approve the measure, the act will establish a strictly regulated MMJ program – and in one of the few remaining states without any form of legal cannabis.
How many medical cannabis business permits would be available in Idaho?
The Natural Medicine Alliance now faces an April 30 deadline for state officials to verify the signatures.
To secure a spot on the ballot, advocates must submit 70,725 valid signatures from registered voters, while also meeting geographic thresholds across at least 18 of the state’s 35 legislative districts.
If it qualifies and is approved on the November ballot, legal Idaho medical cannabis access could begin as soon as July 1, 2027, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.
And it would also provide business opportunities to existing hemp operators, who could apply for a cannabis business permit provided they were in good standing as of 2022.
The state Board of Pharmacy would license no more than three vertically integrated businesses, according to MPP, with six dispensary retail locations.
And unlike other states to recently legalize MMJ such as Nebraska, cannabis flower in a form that can be smoked would be allowed.
How many medical cannabis patients would be in Idaho?
The initiative would offer medical cannabis as a treatment option for patients diagnosed with debilitating conditions, including:
- Cancer
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Chronic pain
- Epilepsy
- Alzheimer’s
- HIV/AIDs
- Multiple sclerosis
Advocates argue that for many patients, the program offers a regulated alternative to highly addictive opioid medications.
“This framework would allow for really strong regulation, restricted access, and it’s a medical program,” Amanda Watson, a spokesperson for the initiative, told the Sun.
Many residents now cross state lines to illegally buy cannabis products because they cannot find it at home, Watson added.
Is Idaho legalizing medical cannabis?
But the ballot initiative faces intense opposition from the state government, with the Idaho Legislature recently passing a resolution urging residents to vote against the measure.
Lawmakers cite concerns that the proposed program lacks adequate safeguards, which they believe would open the door to widespread recreational use.
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Opponents also argue the initiative would drive up administrative costs for Idaho’s health department at a time when state revenue is uncertain.
“This is not good for our state, it doesn’t fit with our values,” State Sen. Ben Toews told KXLY, adding that lawmakers are concerned about the detrimental impacts of allowing even limited MMJ access.
