Bipartisan Wisconsin Lawmakers Believe Medical Marijuana is Possible This Session. However, it will need to include serious limitations

A bipartisan pair said Friday that Wisconsin has the chance to pass a limited medical marijuana law.

Sens. Sens. It was noted that the group had just completed a recent analysis that found that more than half (55%) of Wisconsin’s adults live within 75 minutes of legal cannabis shops in Illinois and Michigan.

Agard, who introduced numerous bills to legalize marijuana in the past decade, stated that although many legislators–as also the Wisconsin Governor–support legalization, it is not a priority for them. Tony Evers (D), who supports a regulated market for adult marijuana use, said that full legalization would be unlikely to be supported by the GOP-controlled legislature.

She said, “I am not deluded.” “This is Wisconsin. I’m a Democrat. Because of the way our government works–or isn’t working–Democratic bills don’t get public hearings even though they are great ideas.

Agard presented a legalization bill in Illinois at the start of Wisconsin’s current two-year legislative session. It was outside a South Beloit cannabis store.

During Friday’s event the top Democratic senator referred to polling that showed that most Wisconsin voters support adult-use marijuana legalization. She stated that this is just one of a number of issues that Wisconsin’s majority would like to see us be able to address.

Republican Felzkowski was a sponsor of medical cannabis legislation in the past. She said that she is personally “very, very focused” on getting medical marijuana to the end of the session.

“I don’t want to force people who feel they need cannabis, or have had positive results with cannabis, into doing something illegal,” Felzkowski, a survivor of breast cancer, stated. Although many may be able to drive to Michigan, Illinois, or, soon Minnesota to legally purchase marijuana, she said that it is still illegal in Wisconsin.

Felzkowski stated that lawmakers need to be pragmatic if they are to pass a state medical bill. “But I do believe it’s something we could get done this session.”

She added, “I’m going to tell you right now that it’s probably not going to be my bill if I were queen for one day.” “That’s always been my statement. However, compromise is the word for the day.

Felzkowski stated that there are many stakeholder groups currently weighing in on the proposed medical legalization proposal. This includes the law enforcement and medical communities.

Responding to a question from Marijuana Moment the GOP senator listed some of the concessions required to pass a medical marijuana bill.

She noted that smoking is not allowed at our caucuses, citing concerns about secondhand smoke and children. Another thing that is needed would be to “ensure that delivery systems are conservative” so they only go to those with valid medical cards.

Republicans also want to narrowly define the qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. “They want to ensure that the conditions out there are the right conditions out there,” Felzkowski stated. “One thing we had in our previous legislation was that any additional conditions would have to be approved by the medical exam board. Although I do not know if it will be in the final bill or not, that was one concession.

Two of Wisconsin’s most prominent voices on marijuana policy will be our guests, @MaryFelzkowski and @SenatorAgard. They’ll discuss the potential outcomes for the session in 2023-24.

We are also joined by Dr. David Galbis Reig, on behalf of @WisMed Society. pic.twitter.com/QfLRP4qyZi

Wisconsin Policy Forum (@WisPolicyForum March 30, 2023

Dr. David Galbis -Reig, the immediate former president of the Wisconsin Society of Addiction Medicine shared his knowledge of scientific evidence and what he had seen in his own clinical practice.

Galbis-Reig, an addiction medicine specialist, sees most patients in an inpatient setting in southeast Wisconsin. He described it as being “right across the Border with Illinois.”

“Marijuana is a well-known product. He said that we are fooling ourselves if we believe it isn’t legal. He said that if lawmakers decide to legalize marijuana, it will “shift the source of a lot the marijuana we see locally.”

“Is it bad or good? He continued, “I can’t speak for that.” “It’s the most difficult thing about any of these substances, if anyone is going to use them, to ensure quality and purity.

Galbis-Reig stated that legalization will undoubtedly raise new questions, but that he was not certain that it would lead to a catastrophe. He said, “I’m certainly not saying it will be a disaster by any stretch.” “But there will be some public health concerns that could occur with a change of policy. People need to be present to discuss these things.”

Agard and Felzkowski both agreed that safety is the main reason to end state prohibition.

Agard stated, “I have been saying for a while that the most dangerous part about cannabis in Wisconsin has been that it remains illegal.” “Prohibition didn’t work for alcohol, margarine and cannabis policy.”

The so-called “oleo ran” in the 1950s and 1960s saw Wisconsinans cross the border to purchase margarine. After sales within Wisconsin were banned, they crossed into Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota to buy it.

Similar trends are evident with cannabis.

Agard requested a report from the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. It showed that Wisconsin residents spent 121.2 million on marijuana purchased from legal sellers in Illinois last month. The Illinois government received $36 million through tax revenue. Some legislators see this as a loss to Wisconsin’s coffers.

Galbis-Reig, an addiction medicine specialist, stated that revenue from legalizing and taxing marijuana should be used to fund drug education programs for young people and make it more affordable for those who require it.

While some patients may develop a substance abuse disorder from cannabis, he said they only account for a small percentage of his cases. The doctor explained that cannabis is only a small percentage of patients who come in for treatment. Patients come in for many reasons and cannabis use is often a co-occurring condition. It’s usually not a drug use disorder.

“Cannabis is not usually the substance that causes the majority of people’s problems.” He said that it’s usually alcohol, cocaine, or opiates. Patients admitted to receive cannabis treatment are typically younger than 25 years old.

Galbis-Reig didn’t believe legalization would result in increased youth cannabis use. He said that he has not seen an increase in cannabis use locally among the younger people. “I live in southeastern Wisconsin right across the border to Illinois. So, despite recreational usage, I don’t see an increase in uptake.

Meanwhile, Gov. Tony Evers (D- ) released his biennial budget request earlier in the year. It again contained language to legalize recreational and medical marijuana in the state. An influential GOP lawmaker warned that taking this step could compromise negotiations for more modest medical marijuana legislation.

Agard stated that “if Republicans decide to remove it from their budget, I will once more introduce my bill to accomplish this goal,” and that it was “high time” that this be done for the benefit of the state and all its residents.

Evers said that he was tired of hearing about the sales figures in his southern neighbor’s adult market for marijuana. He joked about Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, D) “Thanks you for allowing Wisconsinites to cross the border to purchase marijuana.”

Evers tried to legalize medical and recreational marijuana through his state budget proposal in 2021. However, a GOP-led legislative commission removed the cannabis language. The Democrats attempted to add these provisions back by way of an amendment. But the Republicans, who control most of the legislature, stopped the move.

Rep. Evan Goyke (D), at the time, urged his colleagues on the opposite side of the aisle to “stop running away from this debate.”

Although Robin Vos, Assembly Speaker (R), stated in January that trying adult-use legalization through budget could “poison” the well in the legislature, jeopardizing discussions on medical cannabis, Senator leader has said that the less restrictive policy is possible this session.

Devin LeMahieu, Senate Majority Leader (R), stated that “our caucus has been getting pretty close to medical marijuana.” “A lot of our members are at a point where maybe they can vote for it now. They just want it to be regulated well.”

Recently, the governor stated that he was encouraged to hear from Senator Leader’s comments about closeness on medical marijuana. He said that he is ready to sign such legislation so long as it doesn’t contain too many restrictions.

Although Evers did not mention his legalization plan in his budget speech, he stressed in his inaugural address in January the need for a “meaningful discussion about marijuana treatment much like alcohol.”

Jim Steineke, the Assembly Majority Leader (Republican) stated that legalization is “likely” to occur at some point. However, the legislature has failed to pass more modest propositions like decriminalization and the legalization of medical cannabis .

Evers met with college students ahead of the November election and encouraged supporters to get involved and vote in order to make sure that the state legalizes marijuana.

If Democrats had gained enough seats, they could also have passed a resolution that Governor introduced to allow citizens and voters to place initiatives on the ballot. Although advocates hope the move will allow voters to decide on marijuana legalization, it is unlikely that GOP lawmakers will agree.

Throughout the state, voters have been making their voices heard regarding cannabis reform in the past few election cycles. Recent results show that voters in five states and three counties supported legalization by approving non-binding advisory questions.

Local votes serve a purpose. They provide lawmakers with a clear policy climate-check among their constituents. However, the local votes that were approved won’t change any laws.

In August, a statewide poll found that 69 percent of Wisconsin registered voters believe cannabis should be legal. This includes 75% of independents, 51% of Democrats and 51% of Republicans.

Republicans filed a restricted medical cannabis bill last year. It received a hearing on 4/20 the unofficial marijuana holiday, but it was too late in the legislative session to allow lawmakers to vote on the measure.

Other GOP members have submitted bills to more modestly decriminalize marijuana ownership in the State, but none of these proposals were approved.

For a first offense, marijuana possession can result in a maximum $1,000 fine or six months imprisonment. A felony charge would be filed against anyone convicted of marijuana possession. This could lead to a maximum $10,000 fine, and up to three years imprisonment.

Last year, the governor vetoed a GOP-led bill that would have substantially increased criminal penalties for those who use butane and similar fuels to extract cannabis.

In the meantime, as legislators pursue reform, has issued hundreds of pardons throughout his tenure, primarily to those convicted of marijuana offenses or non-violent drug offenses.