Wisconsin lawmakers to consider legalizing marijuana

Will today be the day Wisconsin begins to go up in smoke? One Wisconsin state lawmaker will announce today plans to introduce legislation to fully legalize marijuana in the state. Rep. Melissa Sargent, a Madison democrat, wants to follow the lead of Colorado and other states and legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Support for the idea seems to be growing, and we have seen the economic benefits enjoyed by those states which have legalized the drug. Sargent’s plan goes farther than what Governor Tony Evers is calling for. In his budget proposal, Evers called for the legalization of medical marijuana and decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana for personal use. He also wants to prevent local communities from establishing rules stricter than those the state imposes. It is clear that when it comes to medical marijuana, most people find that idea acceptable. A new Marquette University Law School poll finds an overwhelming majority, 83%, believe Wisconsin should legalize the use of medicinal marijuana. More than half, 59%, think pot should be legalized across the board. It is probably inevitable, given the changing societal norms on the issue, that before long, pot will be legal everywhere. But it seems a big leap to suddenly throw the doors open to legal pot possession. Perhaps state lawmakers should start small, voting on legalizing medical marijuana, before making the jump to full legalization.