An Idaho campaign says it’s collected more than 45,000 signatures to put a medical marijuana legalization initiative on the November ballot—and recent polling shows overwhelming majority support for the reform among residents.

The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho (NMAI) announced on Friday that it’s amassed its signature haul with a team of petitioners deployed throughout the state targeting “high-traffic areas” and public events to meet the threshold for ballot placement.

To make the cut, the campaign needs 70,725 valid signatures from registered voters statewide, including six percent from at least 18 of the state’s 35 legislative districts.

“Idahoans are excited to finally have the chance to bring non-addictive, natural medical treatment alternatives to patients here at home,” Amanda Watson, communications lead for the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho, said in a press release. “With Idaho being one of just four states where cannabis is fully illegal, these numbers indicate that voters are ready for change.”

The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act, which NMAI unveiled in October, would provide patients with qualifying conditions access to marijuana from a limited number of dispensaries and provide a regulatory framework for the market.

Here are the main provisions of the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act:

• Health practitioners would be able to recommend medical cannabis to patients with conditions that include, but are not limited to, cancer, anxiety and acute pain.
• Medical marijuana patients or their designated caregiver could purchase up to 113 grams of smokeable cannabis, or 20 grams of THC extract for vaping, per month.
• The state would be start by issuing three vertically integrated cannabis business licenses, after which point it could license up to six total.
• Marijuana would be reclassified under state law as a Schedule II, rather than Schedule I, controlled substance.
• State and local law enforcement would be barred from assisting in federal drug enforcement activities related to the state-legal cannabis program.
• There would be anti-discrimination protections for those who use or sell marijuana in compliance from state law, preventing adverse actions by employers, landlords and educational institutions.
• It does not appear that there would be any equity-centered reforms, nor would the initiative provide for a home grow option.

In addition to the signature update, the campaign also released the results of a statewide poll showing that 83 percent of likely voters back medical cannabis legalization, including 74 percent of Republicans, 95 percent of Democrats and 92 percent of independents.

Asked how they would vote if the current medical cannabis legalization does appear on the November ballot, 76 percent of respondents said “yes.” Of that cohort, 50 percent said they would “definitively” vote yes, and just 21 percent said they’d vote “no.”

The survey involved interviews with 400 likely voters from October 23-26 of last year, with a +/- 4.9 percentage point margin of error.

After the medical cannabis initiative was unveiled last year, a separate campaign that launched in 2024, Kind Idaho, told supporters that it would be suspending its own signature gathering for a ballot initiative to legalize the personal possession and cultivation of marijuana by adults.

Kind Idaho previously introduced medical marijuana ballot measures intended to go before voters in both the 2022 and 2024 elections, but the efforts proved unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, voters this year will see a different kind of proposal on the ballot: A constitutional amendment that the legislature approved to make it so only lawmakers could legalize marijuana or other controlled substances.

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Legislators separately held a hearing last March to discuss a bill to enact medical cannabis legalization legislatively, but there hasn’t been meaningful action on the issue in the months since.

Separately, a bill from Rep. Bruce Skaug (R) last year would have set a $420 mandatory minimum fine for cannabis possession, removing judges’ discretion to apply lower penalties. Skaug said the bill, which ultimately stalled in committee, would send the message that Idaho is tough on marijuana.

House lawmakers also passed a bill to ban marijuana advertisements, though the Senate later defeated the measure.

Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen.

BOISE — 19-year-old Alexandra Lopez of Twin Falls is charged with eluding, aiding and abetting, and driving under the influence following a shooting incident at a Boise club early Sunday morning.

On February 1, around 4:15 a.m., officers responded to reports of gunfire in the 4300 block of West State Street. When they arrived, they confirmed that no one inside the club had been injured.

Police spotted a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s car traveling along State Street. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled.

The vehicle was located after it crashed in the area of North Lander Street and West Glendale Street. Officers took three occupants into custody.

“This was a team effort to quickly locate the suspect vehicle and coordinate resources,” said Boise Police Lieutenant Dave Hunsaker.

Neighborhood Reporter Steve Dent was at the scene Sunday evening and reported that the middle panel of the Satin Dolls’ front entry appeared broken.

Alexandra Lopez was arrested and booked into the Ada County Jail.

An investigation is ongoing, and Idaho News 6 will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

BOISE, Idaho — A few hundred people came out for the ‘Idaho Stands with ICE’ rally at the Idaho Statehouse in Boise, while around 100 showed up in Caldwell to protest ICE.

The ‘Idaho Stands with ICE’ rally was organized by the Idaho Liberty Dogs, and the rally started with Vanilla Ice’s famous song before speakers took to the podium.

“Let me be clear, ICE is carrying out the will of we the people,” said one of the organizers. “Violence and demonizing heroes that protect us is and always will be unacceptable.”

WATCH | See the turnout for both protests—

A pro-ICE rally and an anti-ICE protest happened in different cities in the Treasure Valley

The central theme of the rally centered on legal immigration. Several migrants who became American citizens spoke at the podium, and some of the people Idaho News 6 talked to echoed this sentiment.

“I wanted to come out because we want refugees to come as long as they come legally, said one of the demonstrators. “We want them to come as long as they come and don’t abuse our welfare system.”

The Anti-ICE protest in Caldwell had around 100 people, with a large demographic of Latino supporters. Caroline Carillo wanted to come out and speak for the people who live in fear, and she says ICE has been terrorizing her community.

“It’s not just scary for them, but it is scary for us,” said Carillo. “I have very dark skin, and now it is legal to racially profile me and others because of the color of our skin.”

Carillo also called out Governor Brad Little and other Idaho politicians, asking for help when it comes to ICE.

“Idaho used to be too great for hate,” said Carillo. “All of you Idahoans out there that worry about your state, Governor Brad Little, if you are worried about your state, you might want to stand up for us.”

Neighborhood Reporter Steve Dent also talked to a pair of veterans at the anti-ICE protest who told me the rhetoric has been ramped up following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota. They said that ICE has to do better.

“We have been here before, haven’t we?” said army veteran Richard Jensen. “They are undisciplined people out making mass arrests; we have had citizens arrested, and two citizens shot dead in the process.”

The demonstrators at the ‘Idaho Stands with ICE’ rally have a different view as they support ICE, and they told us the harassment of these agents needs to stop, and that is adding to the problem.

“There are a lot of people that are interfering with them right now, and that is making their jobs harder,” said a demonstrator. “Thank you, ICE, we appreciate all that you do.”

There was a police presence at both rallies on Saturday. At the ‘Idaho Stands with ICE’ rally, there were also counter-protesters across the street. Both rallies remained peaceful.