Is Idaho ready to legalize marijuana?

May 14th, 2009 | By Reverend

On May 13th in the “Boise Weekly” there was an article ran about the 300 person crowd at the state capitol for the “Global Marijuana March”.

Ref:  http://www.boiseweekly.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A323768

This news couldn’t be better.  I only wish that I had been there.  What an inspiring and wonderful event that I will regret missing for the rest of my days I imagine.

I have been saying that Idaho will legalize marijuana next, becoming the 14th state that legalizes marijuana in some way.  But I think I am wrong about that, because Missouri will be next it looks like.   But we have a proposal for a 2010 bill from an Idaho representative:

Here are a few clips from the “Boise Weekly”:

Then Ryan Davidson, a “Ron Paul Republican” and marijuana activist from Garden City, announced through the bullhorn that Moscow Rep. Tom Trail plans to introduce a medical marijuana bill next year.

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Since 1996, voters have favored ballot initiatives removing criminal penalties for growing or possessing medical marijuana in Alaska, California, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. State legislators in Hawaii, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont have passed medical marijuana laws. On Nov. 4, Michigan became the 13th medical marijuana state and Massachusetts’ voters decriminalized personal possession.

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In an article found in the Washington Post, the current White House drug czar (former police chief of Seattle Norm Kerlikowske) explains that the White House will be changing the current US drug policy to a harm reduction policy instead of a punish and destroy the product policy.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124225891527617397.html

I am amazed and proud of the brave citizens who took to the streets on May 2nd in Boise:

The Worldwide Marijuana March drew more than 300 demonstrators to downtown Boise on Saturday, May 2. Offering peace signs and garnering many supportive car honks, the marchers moved slowly under scattered showers along Capitol Boulevard to the front lawn of the Idaho Legislature.

On some of the local blogs that I go to, I have been told that Idaho isn’t supportive of marijuana legalization.  But after considering how Hailey Idaho has twice legalized marijuana (not just medical, but recreational as well), and how this proposal has been through the capitol a few times, and seeing how four of our neighors on Idaho’s border have legalized marijuana in one way or another.  I think legalization can be clearly viewed on our horizon!

Join NORML and lets start an Idaho NORML chapter!     www.NORML.org