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Wisconsin Lawmakers Reintroduce Cannabis Legalization Bill

Wisconsin Lawmakers Reintroduce Cannabis Legalization Bill

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin reintroduced a cannabis legalization bill to reform marijuana laws in the state. 

Sen. Mary Felzkowski and Rep. Patrick Snyder’s legislation is similar to a bill Felzkowski lodged last year. The proposal would create a new state commission tasked with regulating medical marijuana. 

Physicians who earn a certification from the commission would be allowed to prescribe marijuana to their patients.  

Nevertheless, patients would only be allowed to access medical marijuana in liquid or oil form since inhalants would be prohibited. 

The new bill would also include a 10% state excise tax on wholesale cannabis products. 

Although there was a legislative proposal to reform the cannabis sector last year, it failed to go through under the previous Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald. 

Gov. Tony Evers has supported reforms by including proposals to legalize medical marijuana and decriminalize the adult use of cannabis in his 2021-2023 state budget proposal last year. 

However, the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee (JFC), Rep. Mark Born and Sen. Howard Marklein, opposed the move.  

The governor’s plan to regulate and tax recreational cannabis appeared to be dead on arrival. 

As part of his $91 billion budget, Evers said that legalizing marijuana would potentially generate $165 million annually for Wisconsinites in the second year of the biennium. 

Apart from increasing revenue, the governor added that it would also create jobs and help reduce the cost associated with the criminal justice system in the state.  

Two days after Evers released the budget, it was met with scrutiny by two Republican leaders who head the majority in both chambers of the legislature. 

In a virtual luncheon hosted by WisPolitics, an online magazine and news service, Rep Mark Born and Sen. Howard Marklein criticized Evers’ decision to include marijuana legalization in the budget. 

Born and Marklein are the two most influential decision-makers in the state Capitol since they are the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee.

Marklein said that marijuana legalization is a vast topic that shouldn’t be included in the budget. Rather, it is a significant policy that needs to be debated on its own. 

Marklein also added that he consulted with healthcare professionals, social workers, sheriffs, and legislators from Colorado, who have confirmed that it is indeed a huge policy shift.  

On the other hand, Born stated that cannabis legalization is a significant issue with many stakeholder groups from both ends. It is a weighty reason that validates a separate debate. 

The gubernatorial-legislative contention on marijuana legalization isn’t a new thing in Wisconsin. Although there isn’t much hope for marijuana legalization in the governor’s budget, his proposals have managed to keep the conversation surrounding cannabis reforms going.

Despite the shaky situation facing the cannabis sector in Wisconsin, progress in the neighboring states could mount pressure on legislatures, thus sparking reforms. 

In Michigan, two dispensaries decided to give free pre-rolls to anyone who donates blood. The idea of giving smoking accessories is one of the ways marijuana companies are tackling the daily challenges in society. 

The two dispensaries, Greenhouse of Walled Lake and UBacked Cannabis Edibles, decided to offer pre-rolls to anyone who has donated blood/plasma. 

Of course, a person will have to show proof – a simple bandaid or sticker will suffice as long as they are 21 years or older. The move was prompted by the severe shortage of blood and plasma in the United States. 

Besides collecting revenue from cannabis businesses, corporate social responsibility has also proven beneficial in the states that have legalized the substance.  

Similarly, Ohio is also making progressive moves by planning to amend its medical cannabis guidelines. The state wants to add ten more conditions to the medical marijuana eligibility. 

The medical board in the state received nine petitions to include ten qualifying conditions in its medical marijuana program. Submissions for new conditions are usually received every year and have to include letters of support from physicians. 

Ohio is yet another example of a state reaping incredible rewards due to its streamlined medical marijuana laws. 

According to a new report released by Headset, the cannabis industry in the U.S could reach $45.8 billion by 2025. 

The co-founder and CEO of Headset, Cy Scott, said that the rigorous reforms in various states have contributed to the success of the cannabis industry in the country. Consequently, this has promoted “scalability and sophisticated operations” in the respective states. 

The reintroduction of the marijuana legalization bill in Wisconsin offers new hope to the cannabis community in the state. 

Considering that the previously proposed bills failed to take off under Senate Majority leader Scott Fitzgerald, the future seems to be bright with Fitzgerald’s successor, Devin LeMahieu, in office. 

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin reintroduced a cannabis legalization bill to reform marijuana laws in the state. Sen. Mary Felzkowski and Rep. Patrick Snyder’s legislation is similar to a bill Felzkowski lodged last year. The proposal would create a new state commission tasked with regulating medical marijuana. Physicians who earn a certification from the commission would be allowed to prescribe marijuana to their patients.

Nevertheless, patients would only be allowed to access medical marijuana in liquid or oil form since inhalants would be prohibited. The new bill would also include a 10% state excise tax on wholesale cannabis products. Although there was a legislative proposal to reform the cannabis sector last year, it failed to go through under the previous Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald. 

Gov. Tony Evers has supported reforms by including proposals to legalize medical marijuana and decriminalize the adult use of cannabis in his 2021-2023 state budget proposal last year. However, the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee (JFC), Rep. Mark Born and Sen. Howard Marklein, opposed the move.  

The governor’s plan to regulate and tax recreational cannabis appeared to be dead on arrival. As part of his $91 billion budget, Evers said that legalizing marijuana would potentially generate $165 million annually for Wisconsinites in the second year of the biennium. Apart from increasing revenue, the governor added that it would also create jobs and help reduce the cost associated with the criminal justice system in the state.

Two days after Evers released the budget, it was met with scrutiny by two Republican leaders who head the majority in both chambers of the legislature. In a virtual luncheon hosted by WisPolitics, an online magazine and news service, Rep Mark Born and Sen. Howard Marklein criticized Evers’ decision to include marijuana legalization in the budget. Born and Marklein are the two most important decision-makers in the state Capitol since they are the co-chairs of the JFC.

Marklein said that marijuana legalization is a vast topic that shouldn’t be included in the budget. Rather, it is a significant policy that needs to be debated on its own. Marklein also added that he consulted with healthcare professionals, social workers, sheriffs, and legislators from Colorado, who have confirmed that it is indeed a huge policy shift.  

On the other hand, Born stated that cannabis legalization is a significant issue with many stakeholder groups from both ends. Hence, it is a weighty reason that validates a separate debate. The gubernatorial-legislative contention on marijuana legalization isn’t a new thing in Wisconsin. Although there isn’t much hope for marijuana legalization in the governor’s budget, his proposals have managed to keep the conversation surrounding cannabis reforms going.

Despite the shaky situation facing the cannabis sector in Wisconsin, progress in the neighboring states could mount pressure on legislatures, thus sparking reforms. In Michigan, two dispensaries decided to give free pre-rolls to anyone who donates blood. The idea of giving smoking accessories is one of the ways marijuana companies are using to tackle the daily challenges in society.

The two dispensaries, Greenhouse of Walled Lake and UBacked Cannabis Edibles, decided to offer pre-rolls to anyone who has donated blood/plasma. Of course, a person will have to show proof – a simple bandaid or sticker will suffice as long as they are 21 years or older. The move was prompted by the severe shortage of blood and plasma in the United States. Besides collecting revenue from cannabis businesses, corporate social responsibility has also proven beneficial in the states that have legalized the substance.  

Similarly, Ohio is also making progressive moves by planning to amend its medical cannabis guidelines. The state wants to add ten more conditions to the medical marijuana eligibility. The medical board in the state received nine petitions to include ten qualifying conditions in its medical marijuana program. Submissions for new conditions are usually received every year and have to include letters of support from physicians. Ohio is yet another example of a state reaping incredible rewards due to its streamlined medical marijuana laws.

According to a new report released by Headset, the cannabis industry in the U.S could reach $45.8 billion by 2025. The co-founder and CEO of Headset, Cy Scott, said that the rigorous reforms in various states have contributed to the success of the cannabis industry in the country. Consequently, this has promoted “scalability and sophisticated operations” in the respective states.

The reintroduction of the marijuana legalization bill in Wisconsin offers new hope to the cannabis community in the state. Considering that the previously proposed bills failed to take off under Senate Majority leader Scott Fitzgerald, the future seems to be bright with Fitzgerald’s successor, Devin LeMahieu, in office. 

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