Idaho Medical Marijuana Campaign Surpasses 45,000 Signatures for 2026 Ballot

2 February 2026

Idaho, one of the few states where cannabis remains fully illegal, could soon see a pivotal vote on medical marijuana if a citizen-led campaign meets its signature goal.

The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho announced it has collected more than 45,000 signatures to qualify the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act for the November 2026 ballot. The campaign must gather at least 70,725 valid signatures from registered voters, including minimum thresholds across 18 legislative districts, before the April 30 deadline.

Organizers say the measure is designed specifically for patients with debilitating conditions and is not intended as a pathway to recreational legalization. Instead, they frame the proposal as an effort to expand pain management options and provide what they describe as a natural treatment alternative.

If approved by voters, the act would allow licensed health practitioners to recommend medical cannabis for a range of qualifying conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, Crohn’s disease, anxiety, and acute pain.

The proposal outlines strict usage rules:

• Public consumption would be banned,
• Sharing cannabis would not be allowed,
• Driving under the influence would remain prohibited.
• Patients and caregivers could purchase up to 113 grams of smokeable marijuana or 20 grams of THC extract per month.

From a business perspective, the framework appears intentionally limited. Idaho would initially issue three vertically integrated licenses, potentially expanding to six over time. The initiative would also reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II substance under state law, opening the door to medical research.

Other provisions would prevent state and local law enforcement from assisting federal authorities with enforcement actions tied to the legal program and would introduce anti-discrimination protections for compliant patients and operators. However, the measure does not include social equity provisions and does not authorize home cultivation.

Public opinion may be trending in the campaign’s favor. A recent poll found that 83 percent of likely voters support medical cannabis legalization, with 76 percent indicating they would vote yes if the question appears on the ballot.

Still, the path forward is not entirely clear. Idaho lawmakers have approved a separate constitutional amendment for the same election that would remove voters’ authority to legalize cannabis through ballot initiatives, granting that power solely to the legislature.

Campaign leaders say the amendment would not interfere with the current medical cannabis initiative if both were approved. But they acknowledge it could make future citizen-led efforts far more difficult.

The campaign’s progress follows earlier attempts by other groups that failed to reach the ballot. Meanwhile, lawmakers have previously considered legislation ranging from stricter penalties for marijuana possession to a proposed ban on cannabis advertising, reflecting the state’s historically cautious stance.

For patients, the initiative could represent a first step toward regulated access in a state where options are currently limited. For businesses, the tightly controlled licensing structure signals a market that, if created, would likely expand gradually.