Idaho Study Projects $108 Million in Annual Medical Marijuana Sales if Initiative Approved by Voters This November
- The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act could generate over $108 million in annual retail sales by its sixth year, supporting approximately 63,000 registered patients, based on a study modeled after Utah’s medical marijuana program.
- Projected patient participation and sales start at about 13,347 patients and $23 million in sales in Year 1, increasing steadily to nearly $100 million by Year 5 and exceeding $108 million by Year 6.
- The study outlines two tax scenarios: a 6% state sales tax could generate over $6.5 million annually by Year 6, while a combined 20% tax-and-fee structure could raise more than $21 million, with administration funded through fees rather than the General Fund.
- The proposed law focuses on strict regulation, limiting participation to qualified patients with medical cannabis cards, enforcing pharmacist oversight, background checks, inventory tracking, and prohibiting recreational use and impaired driving to ensure safe and accountable access.
A group working to place the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act on the November ballot has released a new economic impact study projecting that a state medical marijuana program could generate more than $108 million in annual retail sales by its sixth year.
The analysis, commissioned by the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho, estimates that a medical marijuana program modeled after Utah’s could eventually support roughly 63,000 registered patients in Idaho and produce more than $108 million in annual sales by Year 6. The study describes the figures as conservative projections based on Utah’s participation rates and sales trends, adjusted to Idaho’s adult population.
According to the analysis, Idaho could reach 13,347 active patients and nearly $23 million in retail sales in the first year of the program. By Year 2, that would rise to just under 25,000 patients and more than $43 million in sales. The estimates continue increasing each year, reaching nearly $100 million by Year 5 before topping $108 million in the following year.
The study also outlines two tax scenarios. Under an approach applying Idaho’s existing 6% state sales tax, annual revenues could exceed $6.5 million by Year 6, in addition to fees paid by patients and licensed businesses. Under a higher combined tax-and-fee structure of 20%, annual revenues could surpass $21 million. Supporters say the measure is designed to be revenue-neutral for the state, with administration funded through cardholder and licensing fees rather than the General Fund.
“The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act proposes smart, responsible policy with widespread positive impact,” said Amanda Watson, spokesperson for the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho. “It creates a safe and tightly regulated medical program that gives patients a natural, non-addictive option when other treatments haven’t worked, while also supporting Idaho agriculture, generating local revenue, and keeping dollars here at home.”
Backers of the initiative also say the proposed law would create one of the nation’s most tightly regulated medical marijuana programs. Participation would be limited to people with a diagnosed substantial health condition and a valid medical cannabis card issued by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The proposal would also limit production licenses, require pharmacist oversight, mandate background checks, ban recreational use, prohibit impaired driving, and establish strict inventory tracking and inspection requirements through the Idaho Board of Pharmacy.
“For too long, Idaho patients have been forced to leave the state or rely on unsafe alternatives to manage serious medical conditions,” Watson said. “This act ensures access, accountability, and strong oversight while delivering lasting economic benefits that extend far beyond individual patients to families, farmers, and communities across Idaho.”