Legalizing Medical Marijuana In Wisconsin Proposed

Proponents of legalizing medical marijuana in Wisconsin will try again to change the law, even though the proposal stands little chance of passing the Legislature.

Proponents held a Wednesday news conference to announce the latest proposal by Democratic state Rep. Mark Pocan of Madison and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach of Waunakee.

The bill was last attempted when Democrats controlled the Legislature in 2010, but it couldn’t find enough support then to pass. Now Republicans control both the Senate and Assembly and it’s unlikely to win favor this time around either.

“I think the fact that at the last session we had a lot of the opposition from the (Wisconsin) Medical Society caused a lot of problems. However, in the last decade, we have seen literally the state’s double that are allowing medical marijuana. There’s no question in my mind that someday we will have it in Wisconsin,” Pocan said.

Backers of legalizing medical marijuana said it will help the chronically ill deal with pain. But opponents including the Wisconsin Medical Society have said there are better and more effective alternatives.