Idaho Medical Cannabis Advocates Surpass 45K Signatures
- Medical cannabis advocates in Idaho have collected over 45,000 signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot allowing medical cannabis use for patients with specific conditions like cancer, epilepsy, and PTSD.
- The proposal aims to create a licensing system for producers and dispensaries and reclassify cannabis from a Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 drug to facilitate medical research, emphasizing that it does not legalize recreational use.
- To qualify for the ballot, the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act must gather signatures from at least 6% of registered voters statewide, including 6% from 18 of the state's 35 legislative districts, with the deadline on April 30.
- State lawmakers are also proposing a constitutional amendment for the same ballot that would restrict the legalization of psychoactive substances solely to legislative authority, potentially making future medical cannabis initiatives harder if the current measure fails.
Medical cannabis advocates in Idaho have gathered more than 45,000 signatures seeking to get the issue on November ballots. The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to allow the use of medical cannabis for qualifying patients with conditions including cancer, AIDS, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In a statement, Amanda Watson, communications lead for the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho, the group leading the campaign, noted that the proposal “is not a pathway to recreational legalization.”
“This is designed specifically to give the people of Idaho dignity in their pain management process.” — Watson in a press release
The measure would establish a licensing system for producers and dispensaries while reclassifying cannabis under state law from a Schedule 1 drug to a Schedule 2 drug to allow for medical research.
To appear on the November 2026 ballot, the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act must secure signatures from at least 6% of registered voters statewide, based on the last general election. Signatures must be collected in-person from at least 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts and represent at least 6% of each district’s voters. The deadline to collect the signatures is April 30.
State lawmakers are placing a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution on the November 2026 ballot, which would eliminate voters’ ability to legalize cannabis through a ballot initiative. If approved by voters, the amendment would allow only the Idaho Legislature to have a say in legalizing psychoactive substances.
Watson noted that the amendment wouldn’t impact the Medical Cannabis Act this year, but that “it would be very difficult to run our initiative again if it doesn’t pass.”