Half-baked

In November of 2018, a majority of voters in Clark and Marathon counties delivered a clear message to state lawmakers: they support the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. Advisory referendums passed with overwhelming support in each county, with 67 percent of voters voting yes in Clark County and 82 percent doing the same in Marathon County.

At that point in time, just over 30 states had already legalized the drug for medical purposes, and a handful had taken the next step of permitting it for recreational usage. Following the 2020 election, 36 states now allow cannabis for medical purposes and 15 states permit it to be used by adults for nonmedical purposes. Near the end of 2019, our state senator, Republican Kathy Bernier, co-authored a bill that would allow for medical marijuana under the jurisdiction of a proposed Medical Marijuana Regulatory Commission, composed of legislative and gubernatorial appointees. The commission would ensure that the supply of marijuana provided to medical patients would be safe and reliable.

“Under the bill, patients with certain medical conditions would receive medical marijuana recommendations from participating medical professionals, gaining them access to a medical marijuana card through the commission,” Bernier wrote.

However, despite strong support for such a measure among the public, the proposal was unfortunately squashed by legislative leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitgerald (R-Juneau), who defied the will of the people in favor of his own fear-mongering about a drug that has long been vilified by people who are stubbornly unwilling to hear about its potential benefits for those suffering from chronic pain and illness.

Now comes Gov. Tony Evers, who has decided to push the legalization debate into the recreational use arena as part of his state budget proposal. We think it’s the wrong move at the wrong time.

On the face of it, Evers’ argument seems like a reasonable one, especially as a potential revenue generator for the state, instead of a major target of law enforcement spending.

“Legalizing and taxing marijuana in Wisconsin— just like we do already with 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,” Evers said in a statement.

Still, the governor seems to be wilfully ignoring the legislative reality he faces right now: Republicans still control both the Senate and the Assembly and are raring to rip this item out of his budget proposal. Sen. Bernier pointed this out in a recent press release, citing the fact that her own efforts to allow medical marijuana failed in the last legislative session and questioning how Evers thinks his recreational idea would fare any better.

“Rather than acknowledge that, the governor decided to issue a half-baked scheme to legalize recreational marijuana on Super Bowl Sunday, barely a week before his budget address,” she said. “I wish I could have spoken with the governor beforehand. He has to know this plan does not yet have legislative support and he should have known better than to treat an issue that requires the utmost cooperation with such carelessness.”

Sen. Bernier is correct. The first priority should be building support for medical marijuana in the legislature so that long-suffering patients can have access to the drug without worrying about legal consequences. State Sen. John Erpenbach, a Democrat, spoke passionately about this in a 2019 guest column in this newspaper, when he told the stories of real people who benefitted from the therapeutic effects of cannabis.

Instead of pushing for legalized recreational marijuana, the governor should be working with lawmakers of both parties to make medical marijuana a reality for Wisconsinites.

The Tribune-Phonograph editorial board consists of publisher Kris O’Leary and editor Kevin O’Brien