The Idaho Citizens Coalition (IdahoCann) has submitted the Personal Adult Marijuana Decriminalization Act (PAMDA) to the Idaho Secretary of State’s office today.
The seven-page initiative seeks to “legalize the drive home” for those Idaho adults who cross the western border to purchase marijuana legally in Oregon and Washington, then return home to Idaho.
“At the dispensaries in Ontario [Oregon], we see people driving in from Bannock, Bear Lake, and Jefferson counties—drives of over five hours one way to legally purchase marijuana,” notes IdahoCann spokesperson Russ Belville. “It’s not like there are no black market marijuana dealers in Southeastern Idaho. We should be encouraging these Idahoans who drive to be somewhat legal. Every purchase they make in Oregon is one not made from an Idaho weed dealer.”
As submitted, PAMDA would only legalize the following:
- Possession of up to three ounces of marijuana products,
- If they are purchased legally out-of-state,
- And transported in their sealed childproof containers with proof of purchase,
- And taken straight to private property with the permission of the owner.
Any marijuana activities outside this narrow scope would still be subject to Idaho Criminal Code, and therefore, arrest and imprisonment, such as:
- Cultivating any marijuana plants, or
- Using or possessing any marijuana in public, or
- Providing marijuana to or possession of marijuana by minors, or
- Selling or trafficking amounts of marijuana over three ounces, or
- Driving while impaired by marijuana.
After receipt by the Secretary of State, the Attorney General will have 20 working days to formulate an opinion on PAMDA and offer any changes or suggestions. We may choose to adopt any, all, or none of those suggestions, and thereafter will officially submit PAMDA for signature gathering.
PAMDA will require signatures equal to 6% of the registered voters from every Idaho legislative district under the newly-passed SB 1110. However, that law is being challenged in court by Reclaim Idaho and, should they prevail, PAMDA would only need the 6% threshold from 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts. In either case, the total number of signatures to be gathered must exceed 64,946.
