MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who has pushed for full legalization of recreational marijuana, said Wednesday that he is facing significant hurdles in the state legislature. Despite growing public support for cannabis legalization in Wisconsin, lawmakers have been slow to act on the issue.
Wisconsin's growing market for legal hemp-derived Delta THC. While recreational cannabis and medical marijuana remain illegal in Wisconsin, the state has seen an increase in the production and sale of hemp-derived products containing low levels of THC. This has led to confusion and debate over the legal of various cannabis products in the state.
recreational marijuana is legal in 24 states and Washington D.C., and another 17 legal medical marijuana. So what about Wisconsin? Despite efforts by Gov. Evers and other supporters of legalization, Wisconsin remains one of the few states where both recreational and medical marijuana are still illegal. This has led to frustration among advocates who see cannabis legalization as a step towards criminal justice reform and economic growth.
At the start of this year, it seemed possible that Wisconsin's marijuana laws could change, and the state would join 38 others in offering a medical-use program. However, resistance from conservative lawmakers and concerns about the impact of legalization on public health and safety have stalled efforts to pass cannabis reform legislation in Wisconsin.
By now, most of us realize just how much of an outlier Wisconsin is when it comes to cannabis legalization. Many of our neighboring states have already legal either medical or recreational marijuana, leading some to question why Wisconsin has been slow to follow suit. Despite public support for cannabis legalization, lawmakers in Wisconsin have been hesitant to pass meaningful reform.
Assembly Republicans announced a limited proposal Monday to make medical marijuana available for Wisconsinites with certain medical conditions. While this is a step in the right direction for medical cannabis advocates, the proposal falls short of full legalization and does not address the concerns of those who support recreational cannabis use.
A group of Wisconsin state lawmakers plan to introduce new bipartisan legislation that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis. While this is a positive step towards cannabis reform, decriminalization alone does not address the larger issues of legalization and regulation of the cannabis industry in Wisconsin.
The Republican push to legal medical marijuana in Wisconsin won't pass the Senate, according to a leading Republican cannabis advocate. Despite growing support for medical cannabis among lawmakers and the public, political divisions and concerns about the impact of legalization on public health and safety continue to hinder progress on cannabis reform in Wisconsin.
