When it comes to marijuana policy, Idaho is a very, very scary place. I have a lot of family in the Middleton and Nampa area of Idaho, and some of the stories they have told me have frightened me. My cousin had to serve several months in jail simply because he had a used pipe in his pocket. Another cousin gave up using marijuana altogether because the risk of getting caught, and the punishment that goes with it, was just too much for him. Why marijuana is OK on one side of the Snake River, but considered to be one of the worst things on the planet on the other side of the Snake River, is beyond me.
A group is trying to change that. Per KSL.Com:
New Approach Idaho is the latest pro-marijuana organization to emerge after a string of failed attempts by other groups over the years to legalize marijuana in Idaho.
Idaho’s marijuana laws are archaic and illogical, New Approach member Bill Esbensen said. Idahoans suffering from medical ailments shouldn’t have to worry about being arrested for possession, he said.
“If we regulate it, then much of it will be off the streets,” Esbensen said. “Prohibition has failed.”
The battle to legalize in Idaho will not be hard. I often think of Idaho being one of the last states to end marijuana prohibition. However, if enough resources get pumped into the state, and there is enough organization on the ground, anything is possible. I will say that the signature requirement in Idaho is much lower than most other states (53,751), which requires much less money for a signature campaign, which will be helpful to Idaho’s efforts.
