“Californians are ruining Idaho” is the mantra shared by mighty keyboard warriors and, occasionally, in real life by native Idahoans. Change and growth is not something these life-long locals readily embrace… and their ire is focused on people moving to Idaho from other places, typically liberal areas, and the fear is that these newcomers will change Idaho into a liberal hellhole.
Is this really the case? Let’s examine a case-in-point and see who is really ruining Idaho.
What Leads to Ruining a State?
Idaho’s candidate for U.S. Senate, Matt Loesby, lived in Colorado before and after marijuana became legal there and he describes how that, legalizing marijuana, ruined Colorado.
Check out this video and hear for yourself…
It's What's Behind Legal Weed that Ruins
Marijuana is marijuana… (profound, right?!). Folks can have a reasoned discussion about the medical or social benefits of the weed… but that’s not what’s going on in Idaho right now. The marijuana issue is being imposed on the people of Idaho by hook or by crook… no debate, backed by massive out-of-state money and societal engineering.
I’m very certain, if you have any capacity for recalling history, that you can name several other issues that were imposed on states and people presented in good and reasoned-sounding wrappings that had the purposefully engineered effect to, in the view of many, ruin society.
It's NOT Californians Ruining Idaho
Californians who move to Idaho, as well as those from other once-conservative and now liberal areas, actually live conservative lives in Idaho, support and vote in accordance with their conservative lifestyles and are friendly and important additions to our Idaho communities.
Liberals from those liberal areas who do find reason to relocate will move to those places that more align with their liberal lifestyle… one of their strong considerations could be legal marijuana.
With Idaho standing firm against the legalization of marijuana, conservatives from California and elsewhere are attracted to move to Idaho while liberals are incentivized to move to more liberal bastions… Texas, Arizona, and Colorado, for example.
Check out the Idaho Marijuana Ballot Effort
Marijuana is totally illegal in Idaho. Liberals might find this a disincentive to move to Idaho… and conservative might find this a good reason to actually relocate to Idaho.
The Marijuana Policy Project offers that Idaho is the most anti-cannabis state and says that the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho is collecting signatures to put on the November 2026 ballot an initiative to make marijuana totally legal in Idaho, medically or not, for anyone at least 21 years of age.
The Marijuana Policy Project is headquartered out of Washington DC and is the largest organization working to make marijuana legal in all states. This organization is largely funded by the late billionaire Peter B. Lewis, and now by his family.
Not ex-Californians who moved to Idaho.
Peter B. Lewis is from Cleveland, Ohio and had homes in Cleveland, Miami, New York City and Aspen, Colorado.
Not an ex-Californian who moved to Idaho.
Notice the headline, “medical cannabis”.
“A group called the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho is hoping to legalize medical cannabis…”
Who is behind this? “Rob Cronin, a Sun Valley businessman who has opened several restaurants in Idaho and across the country, serves as the chairperson and treasurer for the Natural Medicine Alliance PAC… Cronin said his experience as a cancer survivor and his friendship with the late Dr. Dori Tunney, a physician and philanthropist, inspired him to help push the medical cannabis ballot initiative.”
“… Tunney began advocating for legalizing medical cannabis in Idaho in 2022, a push that continued until her death in 2024.”
Cronin is “… supporting the measure in order to try to finish the job for Tunney before the Idaho Legislature can attempt to further restrict voters’ ability to legalize medical cannabis in Idaho.”
“… most of the funding for the initiative comes from an investment from Double Springs Ranch, which Tunney and her husband (Mike) owned.”
Rob Cronin… “Born and raised in New York City… has been involved with Camp Rainbow Gold for the past 24 years…”
Not an ex-Californian who moved to Idaho.
“Doris (Dori) Fosler Tunney, 76, of Newport Beach, CA, passed away peacefully at home on June 24, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Born on April 23, 1948, in Philadelphia, PA…”
“She was a generous benefactor to Camp Rainbow Gold…”
Not an ex-Californian who moved to Idaho.
Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho was formed to provide “access to legal, compassionate, natural care… The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act is our first step forward.”
Recall that Cronin is the chairperson and treasurer for the Natural Medicine Alliance PAC.
Cronin is not an ex-Californian who moved to Idaho.
Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho PAC ties for the largest PAC contribution in Idaho this year.
“So far in 2026, the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho LLC has spent more money on campaign finance contributions than any other entity in Idaho.”
“The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho is backing the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act and hoping to qualify a ballot initiative for the November 2026 general election.”
“Campaign finance documents list Rob Cronin as the chairperson and treasurer of the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho PAC. According to the February 2026 monthly campaign finance disclosure report, the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho PAC reported spending $337,500 with Sandy, Utah-based Black Peak Political Consulting for petition circulars.”
No ex-Californians who moved to Idaho.
Black Peak Signatures and Persuasion… the Utah-based contractor gathering signatures to put the marijuana legalization measure on the Idaho ballot.
“We specializes in signature collection for citizen initiatives, referendums, and candidate ballot qualification, ensuring compliance with each state’s unique laws and regulations.”
“The Idaho Marijuana Legalization Initiative may appear on the ballot in Idaho as an initiated state statute on November 3, 2026.”
“This measure would legalize the use, possession, and cultivation of cannabis for those 21 years of age or older.”
The official short ballot title is as follows:
“Measure decriminalizing the possession, production, and cultivation of marijuana and marijuana-infused products for personal use by persons 21 or older.”
The official long ballot title is as follows:
“This measure proposes that the possession of marijuana (or “cannabis”) and marijuana-infused products be decriminalized under certain limitations. To be legally possessed, marijuana and marijuana-infused products must be for personal use – not sale or resale, cannot be consumed in public or open settings, and cannot be possessed by persons under 21 years of age. The marijuana possessed must weigh less than one ounce and the marijuana-infused product possessed must contain less than 1,000 milligrams of THC.”
“The production and cultivation of marijuana or marijuana-infused products have the same personal use, location, and age restrictions as set forth above. Such substances must also be secured “in the primary residence or on the property thereof’ and “from access by members of the household under 21 years of age.” A maximum of 12 marijuana plants or eight ounces of marijuana-infused product can be possessed for production or cultivation. Conduct authorized by the measure is exempt from penalties under Title 37, Chapter 27, Idaho Code (Uniform Controlled Substances), and from taxes and penalties under Title 63, Chapter 42, Idaho Code (Illegal Drug Stamp Tax Act). The measure shall not be construed to allow private or commercial sale or resale of any controlled substance.”
Update from Experts
As I was writing this blog, the local morning AM radio broadcast on 580 hosted by Kevin Miller caught my attention. Victor Miller called in and gave and update and insight on marijuana ballot initiative.
Click on the video to pick up on the conversation when Victor calls in…
Here are some of the highlights from Victor Miller:
- Well, there’s just been a lot of interesting updates in the last week, Kevin.
- The Natural Medicine of Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho dropped another $500,000 on the Medical Cannabis Act.
- That brings the amount to $2.5 million to pay for signature gatherers.
- They just hired a firm called Fieldworks… a hardcore left-wing Democrat run operation that specializes in petition gathering (from Washington DC).
- The Secretary of State sent a letter to the representatives of the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho demanding that the donors disclose who they are and basically argued they are trying to evade disclosing donors by using an LLC. On 4/20 the donors were finally made known.
- And one of the donors is Double Springs Ranch, which is in May, Idaho, and a gentleman named Mike Tunney and between them, they gave $2.54 million to get these signature gatherers.
- The original hemp bill, House Bill 126, talked about hemp as industrial hemp for animal foods and for textiles and seeds and there would be no THC products, no marijuana, no CBD oil. And yet now we see in the medical cannabis act that Idaho is looking at is that if it is passed, that the original license holders will be given first in line to original hemp farmers in Idaho.
- So what we’re seeing here is an original hemp farm, Double Springs Ranch, basically paying $2.5 million to hopefully get these signatures on the ballot in exchange, it appears, to get a medical marijuana license, plus six dispensaries.
- And you’re turning a crop, which is just pure industrial hemp, which is not a valuable crop, into marijuana, which is a super valuable crop. And then you also get six dispensaries on top of that.
Attacks on Idaho; RINOs Abound
In addition to all the out-of-state attacks on the conservative nature and lifestyle of Idahoans, they also have to be vigilant against a very popular shinanagan of liberal voters who align with the Democrat party who go RINO-mode. Very strategically they register Republican to manipulate Republican primary elections… with the aim to get the candidate elected in the general election who will effect the most liberal policies possible.
It’s not “conspiracy theory”… it’s right out in the open…
Who Works Hard to Ruin Idaho?
Check out my recent video where I explore just who it is trying to ruin Idaho… and is it really ex-Californians who moved to Idaho?
Treasure Valley Dave's Thoughts
First off; let’s have some honesty here. “Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho” and “Idaho Medical Cannabis Act” and “medical cannabis advocates” are trying to pull a Jedi mind trick on you!! The ballot measure says that marijuana will be legalized for “personal use by persons 21 or older”. NO MEDICAL PROVISION… JUST PERSONAL USE!!
I do hear all the time that ex-Californians moving here are ruining Idaho. Lets’ see…
- The Marijuana Policy Project… Washington DC
- Peter B. Lewis… Ohio, Florida, New York & Colorado
- Rob Cronin… from New York and living in Idaho
- Dori Tunney… was living in California
- Mike Tunney… living in California
- Black Peak Political Consulting… Utah
- Fieldworks… Washington DC
Nope… no ex-Californians living in Idaho there!
And who benefits from legalizing marijuana in Idaho?
- Double Springs Ranch / Mike Tunney (per Victor Miller)
- Democrats as more liberal voters will be incentivized to move to Idaho (example from Matt Loesby’s first-hand experience in Colorado)
So if you’re a native Idahoan and you’re complaining about how Californians have ruined Idaho… then you had better be talking about the traffic!!
And if you are concerned about the traffic in Idaho… you just wait until all the liberals move here!! More cars on the road and more chance they will be stoned!
IF YOU ARE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED that Idaho is being ruined, then you best pull your head out of the dirt and get a clue… it’s out-of-state liberal/Democrat/Marxist/Communist-leaning philanthropic organizations and individuals who see Idaho as a challenge to change just as they have done so many other once-conservative places.
YOU WILL NEVER SOLVE THE PROBLEM UNTIL YOU ACCURATELY IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM!
HINT: The problem is not ex-Californians moving to Idaho.
If you are a Californian or maybe living in some other challenging location and you’re thinking you might just be more at home in the Treasure Valley area of Idaho… WE COULD SURE USE YOUR HELP!! You can move here and help us keep Idaho free! The first step is just to give me and Mareen a call, text, email or smash that Contact Us button and let’s get started finding you a better quality of life! We’ve both made the relocation journey and, no doubt, it was the best moves we ever made!
