Cannabis Legalization Still In Limbo For Wisconsin

By Isiah Holmes, Wisconsin Examiner

April 20, 2023

Republican lawmakers are again signaling that support is growing for a medical cannabis program in the state. On April 20, which marked an international day of celebration for cannabis, Speaker Robin Vos told the Associated Press that a group of Republican legislators, whom Vos declined to identify, is working to build Republican support for a medical cannabis measure. Vos said he hopes to introduce the plan in the fall.

Still, Vos is not wavering in his opposition to legalizing recreational cannabis. The Associated Press reported that the Speaker aims to create a medical program which won’t open the door for recreational legalization. There are 38 states nationwide with medical and recreational cannabis programs. In Wisconsin, cannabis prohibition has persisted despite neighboring states legalizing use and possession of the plant.

“We are not Illinois,” said Vos, “we are not California. We are not Colorado.”

“We are a state that’s at best purple,” he added. “And purple is not legalization of recreational cannabis.”

Support for an end to cannabis prohibition in Wisconsin has been growing. In November, about half a dozen communities statewide overwhelmingly approved non-binding referenda on legalizing recreational cannabis. The ballot measures passed with an average of 74.7% of the vote. Due to cannabis prohibition, Wisconsin loses about $36.1 million in tax revenue to the state of Illinois alone.

In the past, even medicinal cannabis bills and budget items have been blocked by Republican lawmakers. Gov. Tony Evers has repeatedly attempted to include full legalization of cannabis in his budget proposals, only to have them stripped out by the Legislature.

Last April, the Wisconsin Legislature held its first public hearing for cannabis legalization which focused on a Republican-backed bill for a medical program. The bill sought to legalize medicinal cannabis in a very limited fashion. Cannabis could only be provided in a pill, tincture, or topical form and patients could only qualify if they had eight specific diseases. Those included Crohn’s Disease, glaucoma, cancer, HIV/AIDS, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

According to a Marquette University Law School poll from October, 64% of Wisconsinites support legalizing cannabis for any use. Over 80% of Wisconsinites support medicinal cannabis legalization, polls from 2019 show. Yet for Republican legislative leaders, full legalization is off the table, and medicinal legalization remains in limbo.

Sen. Melissa Agard (D-Madison), who has pushed legalization bills in the past, is skeptical of Vos.

“We’ve seen this story before — but actions speak louder than words,” Agard said in a statement. “Session after session, the Speaker has come forward with empty promises but no tangible steps toward any form of legal cannabis Wisconsin. The people of Wisconsin, who overwhelmingly support the full legalization of marijuana, deserve better than this political game Speaker Vos continues to play.” Agard added, “During his 10 years as Speaker, Vos’ track record is one of prohibition not progress.”

The Wisconsin Examiner, a nonpartisan, nonprofit news site, offers a fresh perspective on state politics and policy through investigative reporting and daily coverage dedicated to the public interest. The Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers.