House committee advances constitutional amendment to give legislature sole authority over marijuana and similar drugs

A House committee advanced a proposed constitutional amendment Tuesday that would give the state legislature sole authority to legalize marijuana, narcotics and other psychoactive substances.

Representative Bruce Skog, the measure’s sponsor, told the committee the amendment would ask voters whether “only the Idaho legislature shall have power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances.”

Supporters said the amendment would protect Idaho from initiatives backed by out-of-state money and preserve a stricter state drug policy. Senator Scott Grohl, appearing in…