State Democrats announce new marijuana legalization proposal

WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- Supporters of legal marijuana in Wisconsin have announced a new effort at the state Capitol.

Wisconsin is surrounded by Midwestern states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and now, a group of Democrats wants our state to joint them.

"The will of the people is clear on this issue," Assembly Democrat Darrin Madison said, announcing legislation that would make marijuana legal for responsible adult use. It includes a medical cannabis program for people who need it.

Right now, 40 states and Washington DC have legalized marijuana in some form.

Rep. Madison said, "Legalization of cannabis is not radical. What's radical is continuing a system that destroys lives, drains resources, and ignores the will of the people."

Among the bill's provisions:

• It would legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older and create a division of cannabis regulation
• People 18 and older could register as marijuana patients for medical use
• And it would create a process to review previous marijuana crimes

He added, "Legalizing cannabis in Wisconsin is an economic necessity, a public safety strategy and a racial justice imperative."

Rep. Madison pointed to racial disparities in cannabis arrests, saying while roughly the same number of white and Black people use cannabis, Black people in Wisconsin are nearly five times more likely to be arrested.

Democratic Rep. Andrew Dysell of Sun Prairie is a co-sponsor. He said the bill is about "the freedom of adults to make up their own mind, to make their own choice, whether to consume cannabis."

A Marquette Law School Poll from June found two-thirds of a sampling of voters think marijuana should be made legal.

In December, the President reclassified marijuana from a Schedule I drug with LSD and heroin to a less dangerous Schedule III drug.

But legal marijuana has proven to be a tough sell in Madison, with Republicans holding the majority in the Legislature.

Some Wisconsin Republicans have signaled support for legalizing medical marijuana, like Senate President Mary Felzkowski, who put forward a bill in September.

But recreational marijuana is a non-starter for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who said, "I think marijuana is still a dangerous drug that should never be legalized in Wisconsin."

Assembly Republicans introduced a limited legalization bill in 2024, but it was met with opposition from people in their own party.