With the goal of garnering more than 50,000 signatures, Compassionate Idaho and advocates for medical marijuana hope to put their cause on Gem State ballots in 2014. 

“Patients need medicine now," Lindsey Rinehart, executive director of Compassionate Idaho, told Boise Weekly. "We need safe access now."

Rinehart told BW that beginning Friday, March 8, her organization will launch the petition drive—calling for the legalization of medical marijuana in the Gem State—looking to wrap up the effort on April 30, 2014.

“We didn’t succeed in 2012," she said. "And we aren’t going to wait another two years. We aren’t going to wait until 2016.”

When asked about Compassionate Idaho's motivations toward the recreational use of pot, Rinehart said “It’s not on our agenda.”

“There are patients going to jail for treating their illness” said Rinehart. “A lot of people are leaving our state to live in neighboring states because they’re scared.” 

Rinehart pointed to a fellow advocate diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“She was arrested four times for treating her illness [with marijuana]," said Rinehart. "And she was eventually going to face prison time.” 

Now accepting volunteers, Rinehart expressed hopes of gathering signatures and educating Idahoans about medical marijuana.

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