LeMahieu, who has opposed liberalizing Wisconsin’s cannabis laws, told reporters that he believes a medical marijuana bill could be passed by the state’s lawmakers this legislative session. But he noted that the success of the proposal would depend on having a bill that restricts the use of medical marijuana to patients who are experiencing serious chronic pain.

“Our caucus is getting pretty close on medical marijuana,” LeMahieu told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday. “A lot of our members, who are maybe at a point where they can vote for it now, they just want to make sure it’s regulated well.”

“We don’t want people going in because their back hurts and getting medical marijuana,” he added. “It needs to be cancer pain, you know — prescribed.”

Change In Republican Stance

LeMahieu’s comments indicate a significant change in position for Republican leadership in the state Senate. Both LeMahieu and former Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald have been vocally opposed to legalizing marijuana. In 2021, LeMahieu said he would not support legalizing medical marijuana unless the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved cannabis as a prescription drug. 

But opposition to medical marijuana legalization has not been unanimous among Republican state lawmakers in Wisconsin. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, also a Republican, has shown support for legalizing cannabis for medicinal use. Although a spokesperson did not confirm that Vos supports Republican efforts this year, LeMahieu said that he thinks the proposal “could be” supported by Assembly Republicans in 2023.

Republican state Senator Mary Felzkowski said last week that she plans to reintroduce legislation that would create a medical marijuana program that is tightly controlled by the state. Under the proposal, only cannabis preparations such as tinctures, liquids, pills, and topicals would be legalized for use by patients in the state-run program.

At a hearing on the previous bill in April 2022, Felzkowski said that she became interested in medical marijuana in 2014 after going through treatment for stage 4 breast cancer. She noted that the drugs she was prescribed to fight her cancer caused excruciating pain that could only legally be relieved with highly addictive opioids. 

“We are actually having those conversations right now — I can’t talk in for-sures, but will be reintroducing the bill,” Felzkowski said.

Last year’s proposal to legalize medical marijuana in Wisconsin died in the state legislature after failing to gain the support of Republican lawmakers. The bill was also opposed by the Wisconsin Medical Society, which cited a lack of research to support using cannabis medicinally.

“Until science can determine which elements in grown marijuana are potentially therapeutic and which are potentially harmful, any ‘medical’ marijuana program is at best a pale imitation of true medical therapies developed through scientific research,” Mark Grapentine, chief policy and advocacy officer for the medical professionals trade group, wrote in a memo to Felzkowski in April.

Strong Support For Cannabis Reform In Wisconsin

But public support for marijuana policy reform is strong in Wisconsin. A Marquette University Law School poll published in October showed that 64% of Wisconsinites support legalizing cannabis for any use, while a separate survey conducted in 2019 showed that 80% are in favor of legalizing medical marijuana. 

Democratic state lawmakers in Wisconsin have so far led the drive to legalize marijuana in the state. Evers, who has long supported cannabis policy reform as the state’s governor, plans to include a legalization proposal in the state budget for this year, just as he did in 2021.

“Wisconsinites overwhelmingly support a path toward legalizing and regulating marijuana like we do alcohol while ensuring folks can access the life-saving medication they need,” Britt Cudaback, a spokeswoman for the governor, said in a statement. “As Gov. Evers indicated on Tuesday, he’s looking forward to working together with legislators on both sides of the aisle this session to find common ground on this important issue.”

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard has led several proposals to legalize marijuana from Wisconsin Democrats that have been thwarted by Republican lawmakers. She said that she looks forward to seeing the details of the medical marijuana legalization proposal from Senate Republicans. 

But Agard said that she disagrees with selecting “winners and losers” whose chance of using medical marijuana depends on what kind of pain is arbitrarily included as a qualifying condition to participate in the program.

“I will always be a champion for full legalization of cannabis in Wisconsin,” said Agard. “I know that’s what a majority of people in our state want and we know the most dangerous thing about cannabis is that it remains illegal.”

The post Wisconsin Republicans Express Support for Legalizing Weed appeared first on High Times.

Clemency has been a defining part of Evers’ gubernatorial tenure.

In May, Evers issued dozens to bring his total number of pardons to 498, with his office saying at the time that he had “granted more pardons during his first three years in office than any other governor in contemporary history.”

The first-term Democrat, who is up for re-election this year, granted another 49 pardons on Friday to bring his total up to 603.

“It is one of the most rewarding parts of my job as governor to have the opportunity to grant a fresh start to folks who’ve made efforts to learn and grow from their past mistakes,” said Evers. “Forgiveness is an important value I know we all share as Wisconsinites, and I’m grateful for the Pardon Advisory Board for continuing to prioritize this work, giving folks second chances so they can continue their work giving back.”  

As was the case in May, a number of last week’s pardon recipients had been previously busted on pot-related charges. The governor’s office provided brief descriptions of each of those individuals, and details of their offenses:

• “Cynthia Cook was 31 when she participated in selling marijuana to a confidential informant. A mother and caretaker, she now resides in Oconto Falls.”

• “Candace Davis was 40 when she sold a controlled substance to an informant and was subsequently found in possession of marijuana and controlled substances. Now 28 years later, she has maintained steady employment in Beloit, where she resides with her family.”

• “Deontae Hodges was 24 when he was found in possession of marijuana during a traffic stop. He resides in Milwaukee where he has maintained steady employment. The Court supports his pardon.”

• “Matthew Kasel was 20 when he purchased marijuana from an undercover officer. Now nearly two decades later, he owns an HVAC business and resides in Kaukauna with his family.”

• “Gerald Love was 27 when he was found in possession of marijuana. Since, he has earned his GED and CDL. He now resides in Milwaukee with his family.”

• “Leonard Maland was 25 when police caught him selling marijuana. Now, nearly three decades later, he drives trucks and owns a small mobile restaurant with his spouse in Eau Claire, where he now resides.”

• “Anthony Naber was not yet 20 when he sold marijuana to a confidential informant two decades ago. Residing in Wisconsin with his family, he has since obtained two associate degrees and volunteers in his community. The district attorney’s office supports his pardon.”

• “Matthew Raap was 18 years old when he sold marijuana and controlled substances to undercover officers. Now years later, he resides in Richfield where he has built a successful career in the cybersecurity field and volunteers to help incarcerated individuals receive their college degree. He received resounding community support for his pardon, including from both the Court and district attorney’s office.”

• “Jim Swanson was 25 when he sold marijuana to an undercover officer 28 years ago. He now resides in Ellsworth where he cares for his mother.”

• “Errick Weiser had marijuana growing on his property. He earned his bachelor’s degree and volunteers with his county’s fair board and the Wisconsin Parasite Museum. The district attorney’s office supports his pardon.”

• “Peter Wussow was in his 30s when he was mailed a package of marijuana, which he intended to sell with others. He has since built a career in welding and now resides in Oshkosh with his family.”

In addition to exercising his pardon power, Evers has also been a vocal champion of cannabis reform in the Badger State, repeatedly calling on lawmakers there to end the prohibition on pot.

The post Wisconsin Governor Pardons Several for Cannabis Offenses appeared first on High Times.

“There is power in redemption and forgiveness, especially for folks who’ve been working to move beyond their past mistakes to be productive, positive members of their communities,” Evers said in a statement. “I’m grateful for being able to give a second chance to these individuals who’ve worked hard to do just that.”

Evers, the first-term Democrat, has now “granted more pardons during his first three years in office than any other governor in contemporary history,” according to a release from his office, which said that he has granted a total of 498 pardons since taking office in 2019.

The nine individuals previously busted for pot-related offenses who received a pardon on Friday include Danielle Arrigo, who “was 22 when she twice sold marijuana to a confidential informant,” and “now resides in Burlington with her daughter and has earned her associate degree.”

There was also Jeremy Busch, who “was pulled over for suspected drunk driving” 22 years ago when “police discovered he had been drinking and smoking marijuana.” Busch was 18 at that time.

“Now 22 years later, he resides in Genoa City and has obtained an associate and bachelor’s degree in the fields of civil engineering and architecture, graduating magna cum laude,” according to the governor’s office.

Per the Friday announcement from Evers’s office, the following individuals with marijuana-related convictions were also pardoned: “Christina Darby was 22 when officers found marijuana in her home. She has since moved to California with her children, earned an associate degree, and works as a property manager.”; “Gary Davis, Jr. was around 20 years old when he was found in possession of marijuana and other controlled substances. Three decades later, he now resides in Madison and has worked as a youth/juvenile counselor with local social services organizations.”; “Henry Hong was 20 when he sold a controlled substance and was also found in possession of marijuana and a stolen pistol. He now resides in Raeford, North Carolina, where he owns a restaurant and has earned a master’s degree.”; “John Jezuit was a teenager when he punched someone while on probation for selling marijuana. Nearly two decades later, he now resides in Madison and has earned his bachelor’s degree in social welfare.”; “Travis Nelson was 18 when he sold marijuana to a confidential informant. He now resides in Denmark with his family and founded his own trucking business over 13 years ago.”; “Lawrence Riche was 20 when officers found marijuana in his residence, and several years later, he was again found with marijuana, controlled substances, and firearms. Now 40 years later, he resides in Menomonee Falls, has remained sober, and has maintained long-term employment as a steamfitter.” 

As the governor’s announcement on Friday explained, a pardon “does not expunge court records,” but it is “an official act of forgiveness that restores rights lost when someone is convicted of a felony, including the right to serve on a jury, hold public office, and hold certain professional licenses.”

For Evers, who is up for re-election this year, the pardons are consistent with repeated calls for cannabis reform in the Badger State. Last year, Evers’ budget proposal included a plan to legalize medical and recreational cannabis use, both of which are against the law in Wisconsin.

In February, Evers vetoed a Republican-backed measure that would have instituted new penalties in Wisconsin for manufacturing and distributing cannabis or resin by butane extraction.

“It is widely accepted, and, indeed, research over the course of the last decade confirms, that marijuana criminalization has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, especially in Wisconsin where have long-standing racial disparities in incarceration rates,” Evers said in his veto statement at the time.

The post Wisconsin Governor Pardons Several With Cannabis Convictions appeared first on High Times.

Republican lawmakers, who hold the majority in the state legislature, “allowed a Capitol debate on legislation that would legalize marijuana use, but the step forward for proponents won’t result in a new cannabis law in Wisconsin anytime soon,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

According to the newspaper, a medical cannabis bill got a hearing at the state capitol in Madison on Wednesday that was “scheduled weeks after GOP leaders concluded the Legislature’s work for the year—prompting some Democrats who have long supported legalization to accuse Republican bill authors of using the hearing as a ‘political ploy’ in an election year.”

The bill was authored by a GOP state senator who also leads the committee whose medical cannabis advocacy stems from her experience with breast cancer.

“All of those drugs have severe side effects, some that I realize yet today, which is fine. I mean, I’m alive. But if there was a way that a natural product could have helped me with that?” the senator, Mary Felzkowski, said at Wednesday’s hearing, as quoted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“When you have a prescription drug that has a horrific side effect, then you’re taking a drug to counteract the side effect … it was unreal. I mean, it’s almost like I went through six months of a fog,” she added.

But the bill was seemingly dead on arrival, with the Journal Sentinel reporting that it “has little support in the state Senate and virtually no chance of advancing, where the GOP leader has said he won’t support such legislation unless the Food and Drug Administration approves it as a prescription drug.”

Cannabis policy has become a divisive issue in the Wisconsin legislature this year. In February, the state’s Democratic governor Tony Evers vetoed a Republican-backed bill that would have imposed stricter and distinct penalties for manufacturing and distributing cannabis or resin by butane extraction.

Evers, who has been vocal in his calls to legalize cannabis for all adults, said the bill was “another step in the wrong direction.”

“I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to creating additional criminal offenses or penalties related to marijuana use,” Evers, who is up for re-election this year, said in his veto statement at the time. 

“State across our country—both Democrat and Republican-controlled alike—have and are taking meaningful steps to address increased incarceration rates and reduce racial disparities by investing in substance use treatment, community reentry programming, alternatives to incarceration, rehabilitation, and other data-driven, evidence-based practices we know are essential solutions to reforming our justice system,” the governor added. “The data and the science are clear on this issue, and I welcome the legislature to start having meaningful conversations around justice reform in Wisconsin.”

Neither medicinal nor recreational pot is legal in Wisconsin.

For now, with Republicans controlling the legislature, outright legalization appears unlikely. But in a moment of candor, one top GOP lawmaker in the Badger State recently suggested that such reform might be inevitable.

“Recreational marijuana, I think, has a much tougher path to get through the legislature and eventually signed into law, but I do think we’re heading in that direction,” Jim Steineke, the majority leader in the state assembly, said last month. 

But last year, Steineke’s counterpart in the state Senate, Majority Leader Devin LeMathieu, said that legalization is a nonstarter in the GOP-controlled legislature.

“We don’t have support from the caucus. That’s pretty clear, that we don’t have 17 votes in the caucus for medicinal purposes or recreational purposes [to] legalize it,” LeMathieu said then.

The post Medical Cannabis Bill in Wisconsin Likely Already Dead appeared first on High Times.

Jim Steineke, the majority leader in the GOP-controlled state assembly, said in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio that the state could end pot prohibition “at some point.”

“Recreational marijuana, I think, has a much tougher path to get through the legislature and eventually signed into law, but I do think we’re heading in that direction,” Steineke said.

Steineke told Wisconsin Public Radio that he supports medical cannabis, but his fellow Republicans––who control both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature––have been less eager to embrace recreational pot than their Democratic colleagues.

Steineke added that the biggest hurdle for his colleagues in crafting legislation is “trying to write language that’s tight enough to just keep it to the medicinal purposes.”

While hardly an emphatic endorsement of legalization, Steineke’s comments signal slightly more openness among Republicans toward the law change.

Last year, Steineke’s fellow Republican, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMathieu dismissed the likelihood of legalization.

“We don’t have support from the caucus. That’s pretty clear, that we don’t have 17 votes in the caucus for medicinal purposes or recreational purposes [to] legalize it,” LeMathieu said at the time.

Wisconsin represents one of the last remaining holdout states in the country, with neither recreational nor medicinal cannabis legal there. 

Polls show that a majority of Wisconsinites, as with much of the country, supports legalizing cannabis, something Democrats have cited in their push for reform.

Last year, Democratic state Senator Melissa Agard introduced a bill to legalize cannabis there.

“Not only will this proposal allow our state to right past wrongs, it will also open countless doors to our farmers and agricultural sector to participate in a growing industry,” Agard said at the time.

Agard also said, “Wisconsin can no longer ignore the cannabis industry—we are losing out on millions of dollars and family sustaining jobs to our neighboring states. Wisconsin is an island of prohibition. Prohibition has not worked when it comes to alcohol. It did not work with margarine, and it’s not working when it comes to cannabis.”

“Not only will this proposal allow our state to right past wrongs, it will also open countless doors to our farmers and agricultural sector to participate in a growing industry,” Agard continued.

The state’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers, has also voiced strong support for making both medical and recreational cannabis legal.

“The majority of Wisconsinites agree: it’s time our state legalized marijuana,” Evers said on Twitter last year. “In my #BadgerBounceback agenda, I’m calling for our state to join states across the nation in legalizing marijuana—a step that would generate more than $165M annually starting in 2023.”

Last month, Evers vetoed a bill passed by Republicans that would have resulted in stiffer new penalties for some cannabis convictions.

The governor, who won election narrowly in 2018, said that he rejected the proposal “in its entirety because I object to creating additional criminal offenses or penalties related to marijuana use.”

“It is widely accepted, and, indeed, research over the course of the last decade confirms, that marijuana criminalization has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, especially in Wisconsin where there are long-standing racial disparities in incarceration rates,” Evers said in his veto statement. 

“State across our country—both Democrat and Republican-controlled alike—have and are taking meaningful steps to address increased incarceration rates and reduce racial disparities by investing in substance use treatment, community reentry programming, alternatives to incarceration, rehabilitation and other data-driven, evidence-based practices we know are essential solutions to reforming our justice system,” the governor continued regarding the issue. “The data and the science are clear on this issue, and I welcome the legislature to start having meaningful conversations around justice reform in Wisconsin.”

The post Top Wisconsin GOPer Says State ‘Heading’ Toward Legalization appeared first on High Times.

Prior to Tuesday’s vote by the city council, fines for marijuana possession in Green Bay were set at a maximum of $500 plus court costs. Under the new ordinance, adults caught possessing 28 grams or less of cannabis in a private or public space will be subject to a fine of $0, with court costs for the citation amounting to about $61. The measure defines a private space as “an area to which the public at large is not invited or permitted, or an area otherwise not accessible by the public, such as a private residence.”

Persons who are cited for consuming marijuana in a private space will also be subject to a fine of $0. Those caught using cannabis in a public area, however, will still face a fine of up to $500, as will those found to be possessing more than 28 grams of cannabis. The ordinance passed on Tuesday also brings penalties for possession of drug paraphernalia in line with the sanctions for marijuana possession. Offenders can also be sentenced to community service in lieu of fines for most offenses.

Green Bay’s new penalties for cannabis possession and consumption are similar to cannabis policy reforms taken by other local governments in Wisconsin. In Eau Claire and Milwaukee County, the fine for possession of small amounts of marijuana is only $1. In Madison, simple possession cases are not prosecuted except in cases where certain extenuating circumstances exist.

Penalties for Minors Also Amended

The ordinance passed by the Green Bay City Council this week also amends the law concerning underage possession of cannabis, bringing the penalties for such offenses in line with the punishment for alcohol possession by minors. Under the new policy, first offenses for underage possession of cannabis will carry a fine between $100 and $200 plus court costs. Subsequent offenses within one year’s time of the original will result in stiffer penalties.

Unlike Wisconsin state law governing alcohol, however, minors will not be permitted to use cannabis with their parents under Green Bay’s new ordinance. The city council approved an amendment proposed by City Council Member Bill Galvin, who noted that teenagers are currently permitted to drink alcohol with their parents.

“I want to make sure that we’re not saying kids can smoke dope with their parents,” Galvin said.

Cannabis reform advocates applauded the Green Bay City Council for their move to reduce penalties for cannabis offenses. Jay Selthofner with the Wisconsin Cannabis Activist Network said that he hopes the new ordinance will help further the conversation on cannabis reform.

“It’s very important that the local community members, the residents, constituents of Green Bay, reach out to these council members, thank them for the move that they’ve done, and push them to do more or continue with that cannabis conversation,” Selthofner said.

The new reforms may not result in fewer citations, however. Lt. Steve Mahoney of the Green Bay Police Department Community Police Division said that police officers will continue to determine when to issue tickets for cannabis possession or consumption.

“Our job as police officers is to enforce the law; our city council created the law and the ordinance, so in terms of our officers’ thought process, it’s going to remain the same,” Mahoney told local media. “We want them to have their discretion; if they believe the citation or ticket is warranted, by all means, issue it. And if they don’t then they won’t issue it.” 

The post Green Bay Reforms Cannabis Possession Penalties appeared first on High Times.

The first-term Democrat vetoed a Republican-supported bill on Friday that would have established harsher and separate penalties for manufacturing and distributing cannabis or resin by butane extraction.

“I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to creating additional criminal offenses or penalties related to marijuana use,” Evers said in a statement. 

 Evers cited “state after state” that has enacted cannabis reform in recent years––from the end of pot prohibition to decriminalization––as well as a 2019 poll that found almost 60 percent of Wisconsinites in favor of legalizing cannabis for recreational use.

“It is widely accepted, and, indeed, research over the course of the last decade confirms, that marijuana criminalization has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, especially in Wisconsin where have long-standing racial disparities in incarceration rates,” Evers said, pointing to a 2020 report issued by the American Civil Liberties Union that showed Wisconsin is one of the worst in the United States when it comes to racial disparities stemming from cannabis possession.

“State across our country—both Democrat and Republican-controlled alike—have and are taking meaningful steps to address increased incarceration rates and reduce racial disparities by investing in substance use treatment, community reentry programming, alternatives to incarceration, rehabilitation and other data-driven, evidence-based practices we know are essential solutions to reforming our justice system,” the governor continued regarding the issue. “The data and the science are clear on this issue, and I welcome the Legislature to start having meaningful conversations around justice reform in Wisconsin.”

The bill was passed by Wisconsin lawmakers late last month. It would have instituted a maximum $1,000 fine or six months in prison for the butane-extracted weed. 

Republican lawmakers in the Badger State began discussing the proposal last year. One of the bill’s supporters, GOP Representative Jesse James said the legislation was about safety.

“Growing marijuana in your home is not going to cause an explosion,” James said in testimony supporting the bill. “It could cause a fire if you don’t properly take care of your lamps and everything like that. But this process in and of itself, it’s almost similar to a meth lab.”

But others, like Democratic Representative Kristina Shelton, wondered if the bill would present problems down the line in Wisconsin. 

“My concern is, if and when we—and I will say when because I believe that we will eventually legalize marijuana, I know not everyone agrees with me, but I’m going to say when. …When we legalize marijuana, if we were to pass this bill… would this bill prohibit a closed-loop system that would be considered safe by professionals, using professional-grade equipment?” Shelton said last year.

In his veto statement last week, Evers claimed that the legislation “would simply be another step in the wrong direction.”

The veto was hardly a surprise, given Evers’ support for medical and recreational cannabis—both of which are illegal in Wisconsin. A year ago, his office announced its intention to include a recreational cannabis proposal in its budget for 2021 through 2023. 

“The majority of Wisconsinites agree: it’s time our state legalized marijuana,” Evers said on Twitter at the time. “In my #BadgerBounceback agenda, I’m calling for our state to join states across the nation in legalizing marijuana—a step that would generate more than $165M annually starting in 2023.”

Evers said in a statement last year that states “across the country have moved forward with legalization, and there’s no reason Wisconsin should be left behind.” 

The post Wisconsin Governor Vetoes Troubling Cannabis Penalties appeared first on High Times.

The legislation seeks to “set fines statewide to no less than $100 for possessing 14 grams or less of marijuana and no more than $250,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported, which would require “many communities like Green Bay to lower minimum fines for the misdemeanor.”

That could carry significant implications on communities such as Milwaukee, by far the largest city in Wisconsin as well as its most diverse, where, as the Journal Sentinel noted, “fines for marijuana possession of 28 grams or less are currently $1.” 

The proposed bill “would increase fines for having 14 grams or less to $100 but allow county officials to keep fines $1 for convictions for more than 14 grams,” the Journal Sentinel reported.

“Under current law, a person convicted of possessing marijuana may face up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months in prison on the first offense,” the newspaper said. “On subsequent offenses, the crime becomes a felony.”

Unlike in neighboring Great Lakes states Illinois and Michigan, recreational pot use remains illegal in Wisconsin. For years, Badger State lawmakers have proposed variations of legalization bills, all of which have gone up in smoke. There are signs, however, that change could be on the horizon.

Wisconsin Proposes Legal Cannabis

Earlier this year, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, announced that his budget proposal for the years 2021 to 2023 seeks to “[regulate and tax] marijuana much like we do alcohol.”

“States across the country have moved forward with legalization, and there’s no reason Wisconsin should be left behind,” Evers said in a statement at the time, adding that regulating and taxing pot like alcohol “ensures a controlled market and safe product are available for both recreational and medicinal users and can open the door for countless opportunities for us to reinvest in our communities and create a more equitable state.”

For now, legalization advocates in Wisconsin will have to grapple with the bill aimed at standardizing marijuana fines throughout the state.

The legislation was proposed by state House Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, a Democrat, and state House Representative Shae Sortwell, a Republican, who detailed the bill at a news conference on Tuesday at the statehouse in Madison.

“Part of the problem is people in Milwaukee, if they leave the county and they’re in another county… they don’t really know that the rule only applies to this county,” said Ortez-Velez, who represents Milwaukee, as quoted by the Journal Sentinel. “When people are confused about how the laws apply, within patchworks, that makes it harder.”

But some of Ortiz-Velez’s Democratic colleagues in the legislature are not on board with the proposal.

State Senator Melissa Agard, a Democrat, said it is “important as legislators that we honor the work that is being done at a local level… to address cannabis policy in the best way they can given our state’s laws,” and that she is “concerned there are provisions in this bill that would undo some of that work.”

Agard represents Madison, the second-largest city in the state and the home to Wisconsin’s flagship university, where “there is no fine for possessing up to 28 grams of marijuana on private or public property with permission,” according to the Journal Sentinel.

Another lawmaker from Madison, Democratic state Senator Kelda Roys, echoed Agard’s concerns.

“For communities like Madison and Milwaukee, which are very diverse communities that have large populations of people of color who are disproportionately targeted by the criminal justice system, this would be worse,” Roys said, as quoted by the newspaper.

The post Proposed Bill Aims to Raise Fines for Cannabis Possession in Wisconsin appeared first on High Times.

Wisconsin Examiner reports that on September 30 Wisconsin’s Assembly Committee on Substance Abuse and Prevention held a hearing on a bill, Assembly Bill 440,  that would enhance felony penalties surrounding butane hash oil and related products. 

Hash oil—a concentrated THC extract that has been around for generations—was cited as one of the concerning forms of concentrates. Other popular forms of concentrates that have gained considerable popularity over the past few decades include wax, shatter, live resin, rosin, and the list goes on. But forms of butane hash oil (BHO) is what they’re really after.

Representative Jesse James (R- Altoona) testified on the bill’s particular focus on butane extracts but the measure also covers several facets of the manufacturing process. James emphasized throughout his testimony that certain methods of manufacturing extracts using butane can cause a risk of a chemical reaction and explosion. James cited “the open-loop system,”—a cheap, risky way of making concentrate. 

“Growing marijuana in your home is not going to cause an explosion,” James said. “It could cause a fire if you don’t properly take care of your lamps and everything like that. But this process in and of itself, it’s almost similar to a meth lab.”

Under current law, cannabis manufacturing, distribution, delivery and possession charges can result in felony charges that range in severity, depending on the amount of material involved. 

“Under this bill, the penalty increases to a Class E felony, regardless of the amount marijuana involved, if the person uses butane extraction in the manufacturing of the marijuana and in separating the plant resin from a marijuana plant,” the bill reads. The bill also raises penalties for people with past cannabis-related charges when they face new charges for THC extracts or resin.

The West Central Drug Task Force specifically requested the enhanced felony charges.

Representative Kristina Shelton (D- Green Bay) wondered if the law would conflict with future regulations—causing unintended problems. “My concern is if and when we—and I will say when because I believe that we will eventually legalize marijuana, I know not everyone agrees with me but I’m going to say when. …When we legalize marijuana, if we were to pass this bill… would this bill prohibit a closed-loop system that would be considered safe by professionals, using professional-grade equipment?” 

James conceded, “I would suspect that there would be a conflict there, statutorily.” While Shelton acknowledged the dangers of manufacturing extracts without the proper supervision, she believed the law could cause problems.

Governor Tony Evers proposed a $165 million regulated cannabis market that could fuel a $80 million community reinvestment fund, but it was shot down by GOP lawmakers. 

Wisconsin Senator Melissa Agard supported legislation to legalize marijuana in Wisconsin. In August, she introduced legislation in an attempt to make it a reality. Agard announced the legislation outside of South Beloit’s marijuana dispensary. It’s located right on the state line between Illinois and Wisconsin, and served as the frontlines for the fight to end cannabis prohibition in the area. 

Wisconsin remains an “island of prohibition” without adult use nor medical cannabis sales. Over 60 percent of Wisconsin citizens support legalizing cannabis for adult use, while over 80 percent support legalizing medical cannabis.

In the meantime, however, local areas such as Milwaukee and Appleton, have all but legalized cannabis by passing local ordinances that drop fines for possession to no more than $1. In the city of Madison, cannabis possession has been decriminalized.

The post Wisconsin Lawmakers Could Amplify Punishments for Cannabis Extraction appeared first on High Times.

Agard announced the legislation outside of South Beloit’s marijuana dispensary. It’s located right on the state line between Illinois and Wisconsin. “Not only will this proposal allow our state to right past wrongs, it will also open countless doors to our farmers and agricultural sector to participate in a growing industry,” Agard said. “Wisconsin can no longer ignore the cannabis industry—we are losing out on millions of dollars and family sustaining jobs to our neighboring states.”

Agard has been advocating for legalizing marijuana for years. She is one of the new bill’s many Democratic sponsors in Wisconsin. By passing the bill, the senator wants to generate more economic support for the state. “Not only will this proposal allow our state to right past wrongs, it will also open countless doors to our farmers and agricultural sector to participate in a growing industry,” Agard said.

“Wisconsin can no longer ignore the cannabis industry—we are losing out on millions of dollars and family sustaining jobs to our neighboring states. […] Wisconsin is an island of prohibition. Prohibition has not worked when it comes to alcohol. It did not work with margarine, and it’s not working when it comes to cannabis.”

If cannabis becomes legal, $165 million in yearly tax revenue for Wisconsin is projected. The District of Columbia and 35 states, including Midwestern states such as Illinois and Michigan, are already reaping the benefits. Since Agard began representing District 16 earlier this year, she’s continued to advocate for her state to join a majority of the country in moving along with the times. Now, Agard is telling people to ask their legislators to sign the legislation, LRB 4361. Call local legislators, she implores. 

Months ago, the Senator even penned an op-ed, titled “It’s not too late for Wisconsin to lead on marijuana policy.” Since 2013, she’s called for legalizing marijuana for both medicinal and recreational use. She’s even authored previous legislations in the state, to no avail. 

“I want to go back to the core reason that everyone should support full legalization in Wisconsin,” she wrote. “It helps us to live up to the aspirational words of our founding, that we are all created equal and should be treated as such under the laws of our state. We can lead in these efforts. There is no reason for Wisconsin to be the last state to legalize; we simply must have the political courage to do the right thing.”

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers wants to do the right thing, as well. Earlier this year, Evans proposed legalizing marijuana for the 2021-2023 biennial budget. If his plan is approved, $80 million out of the estimated $165 million state revenue would go directly into the 

“Community Reinvestment Fund.” 

The fund would support communicates harmed by outdated laws, which have worsened racial inequality in the state. “Legalizing and taxing marijuana in Wisconsin—just like we do already with alcohol—ensures a controlled market and safe products are available for both recreational and medicinal users,” Evans said, “and can open the door for countless opportunities for us to reinvest in our communities and create a more equitable state. Frankly, red and blue states across the country have moved forward with legalization and there is no reason Wisconsin should be left behind when we know it’s supported by a majority of Wisconsinites.”

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