When it comes to cannabis reform in Idaho, if you think there's been one step forward there is certain to be a step back soon to come.
Last week, Idaho state Rep. Bruce Skaug, a Republican from Nampa, introduced a bill that would establish a minimum fine of $300 for misdemeanor possession of cannabis.
This comes just two months after a reform-minded group, Kind Idaho, submitted a proposal to the Secretary of State's office that, if approved, would put the question of legalizing cannabis to the voters on the 2026 ballot.
"We don't want Idaho to become a marijuana state," Skaug told the state House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee, according to reporting from the Idaho Capital Sun.
Skaug's bill would set a mandatory minimum fine for adults found guilty of possession of up to three ounces of cannabis. In Idaho, possession up to that level is considered a misdemeanor.
Washington, by comparison, considers possession under one ounce to be legal, however beyond that the Evergreen State's rules are arguably more stringent than Idaho's. Possession of 40 or more grams, or just shy of 1.5 ounces, is a misdemeanor in Washington.
Skaug is something of a notorious figure in cannabis circles, best known for his 2024 proposal to establish a $420 mandatory minimum fine for misdemeanor possession. Obviously a play on the number venerated by cannabis enthusiasts, Skaug's previous proposal failed to make it through the Idaho Legislature.
His current proposal appears to be more of a good faith effort to change the state's possession laws.
In comments to the committee on Thursday last week, Skaug noted that there is a wide discrepancy between individual fines issued for misdemeanor possession of cannabis in Idaho. He stated that there is one Idaho judge who issues fines of just $2.50 while others reach $500.
Under Skaug's current proposal, judges would still have the discretion to issue fines above his $300 mandatory minimum. The state's current maximum fine for misdemeanor cannabis possession is $1,000.
According to FBI data, there were 5,178 arrests for cannabis possession in Idaho in 2023. Because of the state's complete prohibition on cannabis, each of those arrests could result in at least a misdemeanor conviction.
There is a well established body of study that shows cannabis possession arrests disproportionately impact communities of color and those of lower socioeconomic status.♦
