Why it matters:
A Republican-led proposal to legalize medical cannabis in Wisconsin has officially died, leaving the state as one of the few remaining in the U.S. where both medical and recreational marijuana are not legal.
What they are saying:
The medical marijuana bill was criticized for being highly restrictive, limiting access to medical marijuana to severely ill people and allowing for it to be dispensed at just five state-run locations. Democrats, including Gov. Tony Evers, have advocated for outright marijuana legalization and have expressed support for the Republican-backed medical marijuana proposal as a first step toward broader cannabis reform in the state.
The big picture:
Wisconsin is losing valuable tax revenue to neighboring states that have legalized adult-use marijuana, such as Illinois, which rakes in millions of dollars a year from Wisconsinites who travel across the border for legal weed. Advocates for legalization argue that legalizing marijuana would generate revenue for the state’s public schools, transportation infrastructure, public safety, agriculture and farming heritage, entrepreneurship, and address racial disparities from marijuana prohibition.
What to watch:
Despite the failure of the medical marijuana bill, the issue of legalization is likely to remain on the table in Wisconsin. Governor Evers and other Democrats are pushing for broader cannabis reform, including recreational marijuana legalization, to capture lost tax revenue and meet the demands of the majority of Wisconsinites who support legalization.
Your take:
Legalizing marijuana in Wisconsin could have numerous economic and social benefits, from generating tax revenue to addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. It is important for lawmakers to listen to the concerns of their constituents and consider the potential positive impacts of cannabis legalization for the state.
