Idaho Activists Begin Gathering Signatures For Medical Weed Initiative
A.J. HERRINGTON | FORBES
Cannabis policy reform activists in Idaho can begin collecting signatures for a proposed medical marijuana legalization ballot measure after receiving approval from state election officials. The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho (NMAI) announced last week that the proposed initiative, known as the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act, had been approved by the secretary of state’s office.
State officials certified the initiative on October 28, following a decision from Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador that the long and short forms of the ballot title offered a “true and impartial” summary of the legislation. Activists are now free to begin circulating petitions to qualify the measure for the 2026 ballot.
“This is about giving families and individuals options when nothing else has worked,” Amanda Watson, communications lead for NMAI, said in a statement cited by cannabis news outlet Marijuana Moment. “This initiative was created with Idaho values in mind. It would require strong oversight, measures to prevent recreational use and most importantly, it would provide relief for thousands of Idahoans suffering from serious medical conditions. It’s a compassionate, conservative approach to health care.”
To qualify for the ballot, the NMAI campaign must collect at least 70,725 valid signatures, with plans to hire paid signature gatherers to complete the task. Idaho law also requires the campaign to collect signatures from at least 6% of registered voters in 18 of the state’s 35 legislative districts.
Idaho Initiative Legalizes Medical Cannabis For Qualified Patients
If passed, the initiative would authorize health practitioners to recommend medical cannabis for patients with certain qualifying conditions, including cancer, anxiety and acute pain, among others. Medical marijuana patients or their designated caregiver would be permitted to purchase up to 113 grams of smokeable marijuana, or 20 grams of cannabis extracts for vaping, per month. Home cultivation of cannabis would not be legalized by the initiative.
The proposal would also move marijuana from Schedule I of the state’s list of controlled substances to Schedule II. Additionally, the measure prohibits state and local law enforcement officers from assisting in federal drug enforcement against medical cannabis activities legal under state law.
The initiative directs the state to issue three licenses for vertically integrated cannabis businesses, which would be permitted to cultivate, process and sell medical marijuana products to authorized patients. An additional three licenses could be added later.
Fellow Activists Suspend Signature Gathering
After NMAI announced the launch of its signature gathering campaign, another group, Kind Idaho, revealed it would suspend its gathering of signatures for a proposed initiative to legalize the personal cultivation and possession of marijuana by adults.
“In the spirit of cooperation to ensure that we have a pro-cannabis measure on the ballot in 2026, we will not be circulating the #DecriminalizeCannabisNow Petition until they have collected their 70,000 signatures,” Kind Idaho said in an email to its supporters and volunteers. “We will be advocating for their signature gatherers until that time.”
Separate Ballot Measure Would Block Weed Legalization By Voters
Cannabis prohibitionists in the state legislature have already put a proposed constitutional amendment to block the legalization of marijuana via a voter initiative on the ballot for the November 2026 election. Under House Joint Resolution 4, only the state legislature would have the power to legalize cannabis or narcotic drugs.
“Too many legislatures across this nation have sat back and just waited as initiative after initiative would come after them, until they finally overwhelm it and overwhelm the legislature,” state Sen. Scott Grow said in March, the Idaho Capital Sun reported. “We are acting because that’s our responsibility.”