There is another proposal to legalize marijuana in Wisconsin, but there aren’t any expectations this one will finally be the one.
State Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, introduced legislation she says would allow for “responsible adult use” of marijuana in the state.
“I’ve said this time and time again – we know that the most dangerous thing about cannabis in Wisconsin is that it remains illegal,” Agard said in a statement.
Agard has been one of the most vocal supporters of legal marijuana in Wisconsin for years. She recently wrapped up the second leg of her Grassroots Tour.
“For the past decade, I have worked to undo Wisconsin’s antiquated and deeply unjust marijuana policies and put our state on a prosperous path forward.”
State Rep. Darren Madison, D-Madison, is joining Agard in this latest legal marijuana pitch. He said legalizing marijuana is not just about tax money, or drug use, he said there is an issue of social justice at hand.
“Legalizing cannabis is a matter of public safety and racial justice here in Wisconsin. People in Wisconsin indulge in cannabis use and deserve the ability to buy safe cannabis and use it responsibly without being criminalized,” Madison said.
Agard agrees.
“This proposal will not only allow Wisconsin to right past wrongs, it will bring us in line with our neighbors and create countless opportunities to grow our economy and attract people to our state,” Agard said. “Wisconsin is ready to legalize it – 69% of Wisconsinites, including a majority of Republicans, support the full legalization of marijuana. It is way past time that our state honors the will of the majority and seizes the many positive economic and social benefits that cannabis legalization has to offer.”
A Marquette law school poll from February of last year showed that 61% of people in the state want to see marijuana legalized, while 31% want to keep it illegal.
Republican lawmakers at the Wisconsin capital have said they could support a medical marijuana program, but there is little support among the Republican-controlled legislature for full marijuana legalization.
Twenty-three states across the country already have fully legal marijuana, including Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota.
