Lawmakers in Idaho — one of the country’s last remaining holdouts on medical cannabis reforms — may consider a medical cannabis legalization proposal as the year’s legislative session winds down.
Idaho Bill to Legalize Medical Cannabis Introduced as Session Winds Down
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A bill to legalize medical cannabis was introduced last Friday – late in the session and through means that would circumvent the committee process, East Idaho News reports. The measure was introduced as a personal bill by House Health and Welfare Committee Chairman John Vander Woude (R) but personal bills don’t typically advance.
Personal bills are usually introduced at the beginning of the state’s session and used as groundwork for future policy discussions, the report says. The measure did not appear on any legislative agendas on Friday.
Under the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act, patients with a qualifying medical condition such as cancer, AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), wasting syndrome, epilepsy, debilitating seizures, Crohn’s Disease, or a terminal illness would be eligible to register for the program. The bill would allow for only cannabis pills, tinctures, tablets, or chewables containing up to 10 milligrams of THC, which would be obtained only from a licensed Idaho pharmacist. The bill would not allow for cannabis flower or smokable or vapable products.
The state would license cannabis cultivators but there would be no dispensary system.
The last time Idaho lawmakers considered medical cannabis legislation was in 2012. That measure was not approved by either legislative chamber.
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