Idaho imposes new minimum fine for low-level marijuana possession — likely steepest in US
Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a bill on Monday that mandates a $300 minimum fine for low-level marijuana possession. It is set to go into effect this summer.
House Bill 7, sponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, will make the financial penalty for having even a small amount of marijuana higher than almost any other misdemeanor in Idaho. That includes a number of violent crimes, such as assault, battery, domestic violence and attempted strangulation, the Idaho Statesman previously reported.
Mandatory minimum penalties typically apply to more serious drug-related violations, said Paul Armentano, deputy director of marijuana legalization advocacy group NORML, which stands for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Armentano told the Statesman that he is unaware of any other U.S. state that has imposed mandatory minimum penalties for marijuana possession.
Sentencing guidelines for misdemeanors in Idaho are generally up to $1,000 in penalties and up to a year in jail, but judges have the discretion to impose a range of penalties, including no fine at all, the Statesman previously reported. Defendants must also generally pay for court costs and fees related to their case, which are separate from a fine and typically total hundreds of dollars.
Possessing up to 3 ounces of cannabis is a misdemeanor under Idaho law. Over that amount is a felony, punishable by as much as $10,000 fine and up to five years in prison.
All but one of Idaho’s surrounding states has legalized marijuana to some extent, the Statesman previously reported. Cannabis is approved for medical and recreational use in Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Montana. It is allowed for medical use only in Utah.
Idaho is among just a handful of states where marijuana remains fully illegal. Wyoming, South Carolina and Kansas are the others.
The increased fine in the new law starts July 1.
This story was originally published February 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM.
