Ayo, check it out, y’all! There’s this dope advocacy group called Kind Idaho, and they’re on a mission to bring that medicinal Mary Jane to the state. You heard me right, Idaho is one of the last places where weed ain’t legal in any form. But Kind Idaho ain’t gonna let that slide, nah mean? They out here hustlin’ to gather signatures so they can get their proposal on next year’s ballot. They tryna make medical cannabis legal for all them cardholders in Idaho, ya dig?
Joe Evans, the treasurer for Kind Idaho, straight up said that they wanna hook up those who need that medical weed for recovery and healing. So, if you got a diagnosis that warrants some ganja, you go see a doctor, get that card, and then hit up a dispensary to cop your stash. It’s a whole process, fam.
But hold up, it ain’t gonna be easy. Kind Idaho got until April 14 next year to gather ’round 63,000 signatures from registered voters. That’s no joke! And peep this: Idaho is one of just five states where weed ain’t legal at all. So they fightin’ against the system, tryna blaze a trail where others failed.
This ain’t the first time Kind Idaho been at it either. They been grindin’ for a decade now, tryna make medical cannabis a reality in the potato state. In 2012, they couldn’t muster enough signatures to get on the ballot. Two years later, same story. Even in 2015 and 2016, their campaigns fizzled out over some technicalities. But they ain’t lettin’ that stop ’em. They hopin’ this time gonna be different ’cause the people want it.
Last year, a poll showed that 68% of adults in Idaho think medical cannabis should be legal. That’s a big chunk of the population, yo! So, Evans and his crew makin’ it clear that they ain’t tryna legalize recreational use, nah. They just want that medicinal goodness, ya feel?
But here’s the twist, my homies. Idaho is surrounded by states where recreational weed is all good. Washington and Oregon to the west, Nevada to the south, and Montana to the east. The only two states borderin’ Idaho that ain’t down with the green are Wyoming and Utah. So you know what’s happenin’, right? Idahoans crossin’ state lines to get their hands on some legal ganja.
Over in Ontario, Oregon, just an hour away from Boise, the capital of Idaho, there’s a whole lotta people from the potato state flockin’ to cop their green. Steve Meland, owner of Hotbox Farms, said it straight up. Even though politicians in Idaho act like there ain’t no legal weed, we all know what’s really goin’ on. There’s a million people within a hundred miles of his store, and you know they copping their stash.
And let me tell you, Ontario got them dispensaries poppin’. Ever since they legalized recreational pot shops in 2018, it’s been a come up. Twelve dispensaries in a small farming town known for tater tots? That’s wild! Ontario sells more pot per capita than any other place in Oregon. The industry be employin’ 600 people, yo! And most of them, just like their customers, makin’ that commute from Idaho.
But this situation got folks heated, son. It’s become a whole political and cultural battle. Back in 2020, some folks from eastern Oregon started talkin’ ’bout seceding from their mostly liberal state and joinin’ conservative Idaho. Ontario’s weed boom just added fuel to the fire, ya heard?
So that’s the deal, my people. Kind Idaho ain’t playin’ around. They out here tryna make medical cannabis legal for their cardholders. And with the majority of Idahoans supportin’ the cause, it just might happen. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and our joints rolled. The ganja revolution is comin’ to Idaho, baby!
Stay lit, stay chill, and keep smokin’ that green.
Peace out!
– Dan
