Pushing to get Medical Marijuana on 2020 ballot

Members of the Idaho Cannabis Coalition gathered at Rumors Pub in Pocatello on Saturday to gather the signatures they need to get the Idaho Medical Marijuana Act on the 2020 ballot.

To put the item to a vote, the group will have to gather 55,057 signatures before May 1. They say they already have 11,000 notarized.

Spokesperson Russ Belville says the response hasn’t been as harsh as you might expect.

“It’s kind of been a pleasant surprise,” he said. “Even when we go to these very remote, rural, conservative areas, we have a lot of people that show up to sign.”

Belville and his 77-year-old father, John, the chief petitioner, are currently on their ‘sign the petition tour,’ traveling to all 44 Idaho counties gathering signatures.

If they are able to get enough people to put pen to paper, Belville says he’s “100 percent” confident that it would pass.

“Our polling shows that about 72 percent of the people of Idaho are ready to support this initiative, so it’s really just getting it on the ballot,” he said.

According to Belville, over 350 signatures were gathered in Bannock County.