Republican-led Medical Marijuana Bill in Wisconsin Declared Dead by Assembly Speaker
02/23/2024
A Republican proposal to legalize medical marijuana in Wisconsin has been declared dead by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. The measure, which was introduced in early 2024, drew opposition from both sides of the political spectrum for being too conservative and not going far enough in terms of who would have access to medical marijuana and how it would be distributed. Senate Republicans opposed the idea of state-run dispensaries, while Democrats pushed for full legalization, knowing that full legalization would be dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled legislature.
Despite the Assembly having the votes to pass its version of the bill, it will not be brought to a vote before the Assembly adjourns for the year next week. This means that the bill is effectively dead, and any further action on the issue will have to wait until the next session.
The bill would have limited medical marijuana to severely ill people and allowed for it to be dispensed at just five state-run locations. Smokable marijuana would not have been allowed. This highly restrictive approach was criticized by many who argued that it would not provide adequate access to those who need it. Proponents, however, recognize that the bills would have opened the door to more legalization in the future.
Despite the failure of the bill, the push for legalization in Wisconsin has gained momentum in recent years as its neighbors have loosened their laws. Thirty-eight states have legalized medical marijuana and 24 have legalized recreational marijuana. Democratic Governor Tony Evers has voiced support for legalizing medical marijuana as a step toward full legalization.
The failure of this bill to pass is a setback for those who support the legalization of medical marijuana in Wisconsin. It remains to be seen what the next steps will be in the fight for legalization, but it is clear that there is significant opposition to the current proposal.
Reference
Despite the Assembly having the votes to pass its version of the bill, it will not be brought to a vote before the Assembly adjourns for the year next week. This means that the bill is effectively dead, and any further action on the issue will have to wait until the next session.
The bill would have limited medical marijuana to severely ill people and allowed for it to be dispensed at just five state-run locations. Smokable marijuana would not have been allowed. This highly restrictive approach was criticized by many who argued that it would not provide adequate access to those who need it. Proponents, however, recognize that the bills would have opened the door to more legalization in the future.
Despite the failure of the bill, the push for legalization in Wisconsin has gained momentum in recent years as its neighbors have loosened their laws. Thirty-eight states have legalized medical marijuana and 24 have legalized recreational marijuana. Democratic Governor Tony Evers has voiced support for legalizing medical marijuana as a step toward full legalization.
The failure of this bill to pass is a setback for those who support the legalization of medical marijuana in Wisconsin. It remains to be seen what the next steps will be in the fight for legalization, but it is clear that there is significant opposition to the current proposal.
Reference
