Pro Pot Group Seeks to Decriminalize Weed in Idaho

Possession of marijuana would become illegal if a pro-cannabis group successfully passes their two citizens' initiatives that were announced today on KIDO Talk Radio. Russ Belville, the spokesman for the Idaho Citizens Coalition for Cannabis, shared the details.

The first citizen's initiative is called PAMELA:

Personal Adult Marijuana expungement and legalization act.... if someone has three ounces or four plants, that would be legal; their criminal records would be expunged everything over would be felonies.

The Idaho Coalition for Cannabis says the goal would be to allow personal adults to grow and smoke their plants—legalization without commercialization.

PAMLA:
Using three ounces will be legal in Idaho. The act would lead to decriminalization. There would be no arrest if you come back from Ontario and get caught with three ounces of marijuana.

This is not the first time a group has tried to get an issue concerning the weed on the ballot.

The group will have to collect 20 signatures, then present them to the secretary of state, then to the attorney general then back to the secretary of state. The group will need 65,000 signatures to be certified by the state to allow for it to be on the ballot.

Russ Belville explained how the process would work to allow the voters to make the ballot. "We'd like to legalize what people in Idaho are already doing, bringing marijuana back from legal states," he said. Belville continued, "the Idaho legislature kept saying they want Idahoans to decide on these matters, and now we're giving them an opportunity; it's the Idaho way."

Idaho Governor Brad Little has stated that he is not in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana in Idaho.

You can hear our town hall program '4/20 in Idaho' on any podcast platform or on this website.  The town hall took place 8am-10am.