Idaho Lawmakers Pass Resolution Urging Public to Reject Medical Cannabis Legalization Efforts
- Idaho lawmakers passed a resolution urging voters to reject a medical cannabis legalization bill, citing concerns over increased cartel activity, black market production, human trafficking, violent crime, and impaired driving.
- The resolution warns that legalizing medical cannabis would raise the Department of Health and Welfare’s budget by $1.1 million annually and require $2.9 million in startup costs amid state budget constraints.
- State Sen. Scott Grow emphasized the dangers of marijuana legalization, referencing negative impacts on public safety, health, and families, and warned against Idaho becoming like states such as Oregon or California.
- The resolution passed with bipartisan support (58-9), while the campaign group Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho has reportedly collected over 77,000 signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot, pending state verification.
Idaho lawmakers last week passed a resolution that urges voters to reject efforts to place a medical cannabis legalization bill on November ballots, CBS2 reports. The resolution lays out alleged harms caused by cannabis and claims that medical cannabis legalization increases “cartel activity, development of black market marijuana production, human trafficking, and increased crime rates, including violent crime and impaired driving.”
The resolution contends that were the issue to appear on ballots and approved by voters, it would increase the administrative budget of the Department of Health and Welfare by an estimated $1.1 million annually and require $2.9 million of startup costs “at a time when the state is facing substantial budget constraints.”
State Sen. Scott Grow (R), said the resolution sends “a strong and unifying message that it understands the danger that marijuana legalization is to Idaho families.”
“We must understand the hard lessons other states have learned first-hand about the destructive consequences this potential ballot measure would have on public safety, public health, and to our kids and families. We cannot let Idaho become Oregon, Washington, California, or Colorado.” — Grow to CBS2
The proposal passed with bipartisan support 58-9, with three abstentions.
The campaign organizing the effort, Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho, must gather 70,725 valid signatures by May 1 to put the issue to voters. A March 31 update posted to the organization’s website indicated they have collected about 77,000 signatures which must still be verified by state officials.