SB 1218, sponsored by Senator Scott Grow, was just sent to the Senate floor with a do pass recommendation by the Senate State Affairs committee. It then PASSED - 21-14-0 in the full senate. To see where your representative stands with issues like this see the way they voted below.
AYES – Agenbroad, Anthon, Bair, Burtenshaw, Cook, Crabtree, Funk(Souza), Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Heider, Lakey, Lee, Lent, Lodge, Martin, Rice, Ricks, Thayn, Winder, Woodward
NAYS – Bayer, Burgoyne, Den Hartog, Fuller(Rabe), Johnson, Lamar(Nelson), Nye, Patrick, Riggs, Stennett, Vick, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Zito
The bill will ban the commercial advertising of Schedule I controlled substances, such as those sold in Oregon and Washington pot dispensaries.
Billboards and other types of pot dispensary ads have been showing up in a variety of places in Idaho including an electronic billboard on Fairview Avenue, billboards on the freeway, billboards on Highway 30 near Payette, and even an advertisement recently worn by a person on the Capitol steps during a 420 rally -- "the best 4/20 sales in the Treasure Valley."
Belville and two others testified against the bill. They focused primarily on freedom of speech and "civil rights" but senators pointed out that we already have advertising bans on legal drugs like tobacco and alcohol and that this bill is consistent with those policies. One senator pointed out that no one argued that their freedom of speech or other civil rights were violated by bans against tobacco advertising.
Speaking of "rights" - pro-pot lobbyists in many states have successfully placed the right to smoke pot in constitutions, and more of these initiatives are planned for 2022. What does that tell you about their concerns about other sacred rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion and more?
Pot dispensaries in Ontario and elsewhere want Idahoans to come there to buy pot, which is almost always brought illegally back to Idaho.
Much thanks to Senator Grow and other courageous leaders who continue the fight to protect Idaho from pot lobbyists and the pot industry.