Updates

Activists suspend signature gathering campaign amid COVID-19 concerns

Last update: April 22, 2020

Unfortunately, due to public health risks associated with person-to-person signature gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic, advocates with the Idaho Cannabis Coalition have suspended efforts to place a medical cannabis initiative on the ballot this year.

Thanks to the hard work of volunteers around the state, the campaign gathered an impressive 40,000 voter signatures out of the total 55,057 required by May 1 to qualify. Campaign spokesperson Russ Belville vowed that the campaign will continue and plans to put medical marijuana up for a vote in 2022. A poll from 2019 found that Idahoans support legalizing medical marijuana by a 73%-26% margin.

Idaho remains the only state in the country without any kind of law recognizing the medical or therapeutic value of cannabis. Earlier this year, a committee in Idaho’s House of Representatives narrowly defeated a bill that would have legalized industrial hemp in the state.

Click here to stay up-to-date and sign up for Idaho-specific email updates from MPP!

Learn more about Idaho's marijuana laws

Under current Idaho law, an individual charged with possession of up to an ounce of marijuana faces a year in jail and/or up to a $1,000 fine. Unfortunately, this draconian law hits minority communities the hardest. According to the ACLU, black Idahoans are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for possession than their white neighbors.

Stay connected

Thank you for supporting MPP. To stay updated on the status of marijuana policy reform in Idaho, be sure to subscribe to our email alerts, if you haven't done so already.