By Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun
The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho has collected more than 100,000 raw signatures for a medical cannabis ballot initiative, with the April 30 submission deadline approaching. To place the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act on November's general election ballot, organizers need 70,725 valid signatures—6% of registered voters statewide—plus 6% in at least 18 of Idaho's 35 legislative districts.
"We are collecting thousands of signatures a day at this point to make sure that we get over that threshold in each legislative district," said Amanda Watson, a Boise-based spokeswoman for the initiative. As of last Thursday, the Idaho Secretary of State's Office had received 10,232 submitted signatures, of which 4,698 were verified valid. The campaign employs paid signature-gatherers at $25 per hour plus incentives. A simple majority would be needed for passage if the measure qualifies.
The initiative would allow Idahoans with debilitating conditions—including cancer, PTSD, AIDS, epilepsy, Crohn's disease, and Alzheimer's—to apply for a renewable medical cannabis card. Idaho would initially issue three production licenses, each permitting up to six retail locations; online ordering and delivery for cardholders would be allowed. Up to six total licenses could be issued once the state's population grows by 650,000. Public use and sharing with non-cardholders would be prohibited, as would operating vehicles, aircraft, boats, or heavy machinery while impaired.
Rob Cronin, a Sun Valley restaurateur who chairs the Natural Medicine Alliance PAC, said his cancer survivorship and the experience of his late friend Dr. Dori Tunney motivated his involvement. Tunney, a physician and philanthropist, began advocating for medical cannabis in 2022 after finding relief from a cannabis gummy during California treatment for glioblastoma; she died in 2024. Tunney and her husband owned Double Springs Ranch, a central Idaho hemp and Black Angus cattle operation, which provides most of the initiative's funding. Cronin's weight fell from 175 to 119 pounds due to opioid side effects after cancer surgery.
The Republican-controlled Idaho Legislature opposes the initiative and has placed House Joint Resolution 4 on November's ballot; if passed, it would remove voters' authority to legalize marijuana, reserving that power for the Legislature alone. The Legislature also adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 127, urging voters to reject the initiative and arguing that 18 qualifying conditions—including insomnia, anxiety, and acute pain—are so broad that nearly anyone could obtain a card. In 2025, Gov. Brad Little (R) signed a law creating a $300 mandatory minimum fine for simple marijuana possession. All cannabis is currently illegal in Idaho; every bordering state except Wyoming permits medical or recreational marijuana.
This story was first published by Idaho Capital Sun.
Photo courtesy of Carlos Gracia.