Cannabis, specifically marijuana, still faces a tough road towards legalization in Wisconsin, but it’s not for lack of trying.
Legislation to legalize use of cannabis by Wisconsin adults for both medical and recreational use was reintroduced on Monday by Democrat Senator Melissa Agard of Madison. Agard said the bill is similar to the Governor’s budget proposal by investing about half the tax revenue made from sales into community reinvestment grants to help underserved communities and communities wronged by the prohibition of cannabis. Agard has tried for the past 8 years to get the bill passed, saying that the biggest problem with it in Wisconsin is the fact that it’s still illegal. And while Governor Evers is in favor of legalization, and Attorney General Josh Kaul favors medical marijuana use, Republicans in the legislature have considered such moves a non-starter.
Some counties in Wisconsin have been passing resolutions urging the legislature to change their stance on legalization, saying that Wisconsin is becoming an island of prohibition of cannabis, and that a majority of citizens accept the idea. Such a resolution was passed this June by the Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors. While the resolution would not legalize marijuana, it would decriminalize its use by adults. The resolution also notes that the City of Eau Claire has now made the fine for its use just $1.00.
When such County resolutions are passed, they’re sent to other counties around the state in order to gain support. Sheboygan County received the Eau Claire County resolution in July and it was sent to the Law Committee for consideration at its August 5th meeting of whether to advise the County Board sign onto it. Committee Chair Charlette Nennig reported that the resolution was filed. When we followed up, Nennig confirmed that this meant that the Committee acknowledged receiving the document, but took no formal action in either the affirmative or negative.
Sheboygan County’s representation in the State legislature has also not supported decriminalization or legalization in the past. According to NORML, the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, Senator Devin LeMahieu says Wisconsin should wait for FDA action before approving medical use and opposes recreational marijuana, while neither Representative Terry Katsma of Oosburg nor Tyler Vorpagel of Plymouth have supported any legislation to approve cannabis on any level, instead voting along with other Republicans to stop Wisconsin, for now, from agreeing with its neighbors.
Michigan and Illinois currently allow adult use of recreational marijuana, while Minnesota has a medical marijuana program and may soon approve recreational use. Iowa agrees with Wisconsin for now. In all, marijuana is legal for adults in 18 states and Washington, D.C., while medical marijuana is legal in 37.
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