A new Republican-led plan could establish five state-run dispensaries around Wisconsin for medical marijuana patients with select conditions.
Wisconsin is one of the few states that has not legalized medical marijuana.
38 states, over 75% of the country, have legalized cannabis for medical purposes.
There’s mass support for change.
A 2019 Marquette University Law School poll found that 83% of those surveyed agreed that medical marijuana with a doctor’s prescription should be legalized.
Now, Wisconsin Republicans have introduced a limited legalization plan that would establish five state-run dispensaries for patients with severe conditions.
They highlighted cancer, seizures, glaucoma, severe chronic pain, and other debilitating conditions.
Only non-smokable forms are allowed- think gummies, oils, pills, or even formulations via nebulizers, but not vapes.
Representative Pat Snyder (R-Schofield) is a Republican in the Wisconsin State Legislature representing the Schofield area.
He explained that only diagnosed patients with one of at least 15 conditions will qualify for medical marijuana.
“We're not going to see a large population run towards this, but it is a group of folks that want different methods of trying to be able to find some kind of relief in the illnesses and other chronic situations they have,” he said.
They plan on opening five state run medical marijuana dispensaries, the first of their kind in the nation.
It’s modeled off Pennsylvania’s state liquor store system.
“It keeps everything we make in house. So actually, this pays for itself. And we don't have to go to the taxpayers. We don't have to tax the people that are using the medical marijuana,” explained Representative Snyder.
He explained that he’s been working with Senator Mary Felzkowski (R- Tomahawk), the Republican representative for the Tomahawk area, since 2018 on medical marijuana legalization.
“Mary has to, she had mentioned to me a friend of hers out of the Athens area that had ALS and by doing the medical marijuana, she's able to do housework and just get things done and feel free during that period. I had a gentleman with Parkinson's disease that was fairly advanced and with medical marijuana, he was able to function a little bit and be able to even do household chores,” said Snyder.
WXPR reached out to Senator Felzkoski’s office with an interview request, but her office says she’s still looking over the bill.
Felzkowski wants to see medical marijuana legalized, but is concerned about the state-run dispensary plan.
She says that a private-sector facility would be more effective than a government-run one.
Wisconsin State Senate Majority Leader LeMahieu said it's a non-starter for the state to run the dispensaries.
If the bill is passed, Snyder says he wants to open dispensaries within the next year or so.
