Hello Idaho Prevention Coalitions and partners.
As Idaho stands as one of the last 2 states in the United States to not legalize or decriminalize any schedule I drugs the heat has been turned up to 100 on trying to push us over the edge.
One of the ways the pro drug legalization lobby is do this is through HB108 (House Bill). This Marijuana legalization bill has been paraded around as one of the most conservative and restrictive bills ever introduced. This bill is far from what Idaho needs and offers paper thin protections. The bill sponsors are pulling out all the stops and even using our patriotism to bend us to their political will.
If this is your first time looking at Medical Marijuana laws you would think that this law is pretty good. What you don't see unless you have worked around this issue for as long as many of us have it is full of holes and opportunities to flood Idaho with drugs.
Nowhere in the bill does it restrict outside states medical marijuana cards from being used. Why is that a problem? Well 1st off many other states will write a recommendation for anyone that wants to use Marijuana. Many young people in states where Marijuana is legal claim some mystery ailment to get a recommendation to use Marijuana.
Creating Medical Marijuana Pharmacies. TO ESTABLISH PROVISIONS REGARDING MEDICAL CANNABIS PHARMACIES AND LICENSURE. In line 22 of HB108 text it states that separate "Pharmacies" will be created to dispense this drug. Former SERGEANT KITZHABER is going around talking up this bill making it sound like this "Medical Marijuana" will be dispensed like any other prescribed drug. Yet the bill itself says that separate "Pharmacies" will be created these are called Dispensaries.
Where will Idaho get this Marijuana since we don't commercially produce it here? Idaho will be buying the marijuana that is grown and sold in other states like California, Oregon and Washington. The Marijuana they are pushing in this bill is no different that the out of control strains pushing 90% THC levels everywhere else.
Can Pharmacies offer Marijuana? Traditional pharmacies where you fill prescriptions from physicians do not fill recommendations for medical marijuana. You will have to go to a dispensary to obtain your medical cannabis — but why? Pharmacies deal with medicine, so why can’t they sell marijuana? The reasons behind this extend into federal law and the licensing of pharmacies. In fact, if pharmacies were to sell cannabis, they would no longer be allowed to sell anything. To preserve their businesses, pharmacy owners have bowed out to allow dispensaries to sell marijuana products in states with legal medicinal cannabis. Simply changing Idaho drug laws will not be enough to allow Marijuana to be dispensed from a Pharmacy as the bill claims.
This bill claims to be the most locked down version of Medical Marijuana legalization but it is just as weak as every other bill it just gives the appearance of being more restrictive. Line 24 page 8 states that " Another debilitating medical condition as determined by a practitioner."
Marijuana Dispensaries must be allowed to open in cities and counties weather they choose to want Marijuana to be sold in their cities or not. This breaks away from more common laws that allowed for local control over drug sales in their regions. Most States still allow for local control of Marijuana Dispensaries both Medical and Recreational.
Unrealistic cost analysis. This bill adds mountains of new bureaucracy without adequate funds to pay for that bureaucracy or the unintended cost consequences that come from drug legalization.
It is imperative that we let the members of the House Health and Welfare committee know that this is just another attempt to legalize harmful drugs that we have all worked so hard to keep from impacting our communities. All this bill is a foot in the door for the pro drug legalization side that will use this to snowball more and more legalization.
Here is a contact list which includes both bill sponsors who sit on this committee. Rep. Fred Wood, Chair District 27 (208) 332-1074 (Session Only) FWood@house.idaho.gov Rep. John Vander Woude, Vice Chair District 22 (208) 332-1037 (Session Only) JVanderWoude@house.idaho.gov Rep. Marc Gibbs District 32 (208) 332-1042 (Session Only) MGibbs@house.idaho.gov Rep. Megan Blanksma District 23 (208) 332-1054 (Session Only) MBlanksma@house.idaho.gov Rep. Mike Kingsley (CO-SPONSOR) District 6 (208) 332-1133 (Session Only) MKingsley@house.idaho.gov Rep. Chad Christensen District 32 (208) 332-1183 (Session Only) CChristensen@house.idaho.gov Rep. Laurie Lickley District 25 (208) 332-1024 (Session Only) LLickley@house.idaho.gov Rep. Marco Erickson District 33 (208) 332-1073 (Session Only) MErickson@house.idaho.gov Rep. Greg Ferch District 21 (208) 332-1072 (Session Only) GFerch@house.idaho.gov Rep. Brandon Mitchell District 5 (208) 332-1175 (Session Only) BMitchell@house.idaho.gov
Rep. Sue Chew District 17 (208) 332-1049 (Session Only) SChew@house.idaho.gov Rep. Ilana Rubel (CO-SPONSOR) District 18 (208) 332-1034 (Session Only) IRubel@house.idaho.gov Rep. Muffy Davis District 26 (208) 332-1174 (Session Only) MDavis@house.idaho.gov