The Republican sponsor of the Wisconsin medical marijuana bill says that a Democratic colleague’s push to legalize cannabis for recreational purposes is hindering her efforts to convince GOP members to support incremental reforms focused on patient accessibility.
Sen. Mary Felzkowski, a cancer-survivor and supporter of a limited medical marijuana program in Wisconsin, spoke to PBS Wisconsin for a report on residents who travel to Michigan to purchase legal cannabis. When asked about the possibility that her state would end prohibition, Felzkowski replied that she was still working to gain support from fellow Republicans in order to implement her medical-focused reform.
She said that a competing measure, a bill from Sen. Melissa Agard, (D), which would allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes and also adult use is not helping.
“Melissa has a lot of support for this and she’s free to do whatever,” Felzkowski stated. “But this makes it more difficult in our caucus. I think many of our members look at it and say, ‘We do not want to be Illinois.’ We don’t wish to be Minnesota. ‘”
Agard said that the GOP majority in Congress, not her own position, is holding back reform.
The Republicans have a supermajority of both the Wisconsin State Legislature’s houses. She said that they are the only ones standing in the path of cannabis reform, whether it is for medical purposes only or full recreational use . “Wisconsin Republicans obstruct that.”
Felzkowski’s medical marijuana proposal is gaining support from her Republican colleagues. She stated that she has been working on medical marijuana legislation for the past three sessions. “Caucuses have been much more open.”
She continued, “I am trying to help the patients.” “I have first-hand experience with the side effects of opioids. I know veterans who suffer from PTSD and M.S.
Felzkowski and Agard both spoke about the prospects for cannabis reform at a webinar held by the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Felzkowski stated at the time she was “very, extremely focused” on getting medical cannabis across the finish line this session.
She told Marijuana Moment, however, that there will be a “compromise”, which will likely result in the prohibition of smoking cannabis as well as the limitation of the conditions under which people are eligible for medical marijuana.
In May, the GOP-controlled state legislature voted to remove cannabis reform language from Governor. Tony Evers (D)’s budget request included measures to legalize, tax and regulate cannabis in the State.
Evers’s Office estimated in the budget request that the state could generate $44.4m in “segregated taxes” from legal marijuana, and an additional $10.2m in general fund tax revenues in fiscal 2025, if the reform was enacted.
The Governor also included legalization of adult-use marijuana and medical cannabis in the budget he proposed for 2021 as well as medical cannabis and decriminalization in the 2019 proposal. However, the conservative legislature has consistently obstructed the reform.
The GOP caucus met privately to discuss the advancement of medical marijuana legislation.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos did not provide any details when he announced the public meetings, but said the goal was to create something that would be bipartisan and could be implemented later this year.
Agard and other top Democrats were skeptical about the plan.
She said, “We’ve heard this story before. But actions speak louder that words.” “Session by session, the Speaker made empty promises and took no concrete steps towards any form of legal marijuana in Wisconsin.”
Wisconsin legislators are being urged to allow some sort of regulated cannabis access, given the rapid changes in regional policies.
In February, a report found that 50% of Wisconsinites aged 21 or older lived within 75 minutes from an out-of state cannabis retailer such as those in Illinois and Michigan. This percentage is expected to rise as more legal marijuana stores open up in Minnesota.
According to Agard ‘s recent legislative analysis, Wisconsin residents bought more than $121,000,000 worth of marijuana in Illinois from legal retailers by 2022. This generated about $36,000,000 in tax revenue for the state.
Vos, Assembly Speaker, said that attempting to pass adult-use marijuana legalization via the budget would “poison” the well in the legislature and jeopardize talks on medical cannabis. The leader of the Senate, however, has stated that he believes a more modest policy is possible.
In January, Senate Majority leader Devin LeMahieu said that “our caucus has made some progress on medical marijuana.” “A lot our members who are at the point where they could vote for it, just want to ensure it’s well regulated.”
Evers, governor of New York, expressed his encouragement at the remarks made by Senate leader Harry Reid about a near consensus on medical marijuana . He is prepared to sign any legislation that does not include too many restrictions.
Evers did not mention his legalization plan in his budget address this year. However, he did emphasize in his inaugural speech that it is important for the state to have “meaningful conversations about treating marijuana like we treat alcohol.”
The former Assembly Majority leader Jim Steineke, (R), has stated that legalization is likely to occur at some point. However, the legislature has failed to pass more modest measures like decriminalization and the legalization for medical cannabis.
Evers, who met with college students ahead of the November 2020 election, encouraged them to vote and to be involved.
The governor had introduced a resolution that would have allowed citizens to place initiatives on the ballot. If Democrats won enough seats to pass the resolution, they could also have passed it. The move was welcomed by marijuana advocates who hoped it would allow voters to decide whether or not marijuana should be legalized. However, it is unlikely that GOP legislators will support it.
has been making its voice heard in the state on cannabis reform during the last few election cycles. Recently, voters in five counties and three municipalities in Wisconsin have approved non-binding questions for their local ballots to support legalization.
Republicans introduced a limited medical marijuana bill last year. It was heard on 4/20 – the unofficial holiday for marijuana. However, it came too late to allow lawmakers to vote on this measure.
Other GOP members have submitted bills to decriminalize more modestly marijuana possession within the state. However, none of these proposals has advanced.
A first offense of marijuana possession can result in a $1,000 maximum fine and six months imprisonment. A subsequent offense is punishable by up to three-and-a-half years in jail and a $10,000 maximum fine.
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Photo by Philip Steffan.
The post Wisconsin Republican Sen. Says Medical Marijuana Advances Undermined by Democrat’s Wider Legalization Push first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
