With the “trifecta” of state government nearly theirs, Democratic legislative leaders plan to fully legalize marijuana next year — both medicinal and recreational — but they are still trying to figure out how that plan will be executed, according to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The “big three” of the soon-to-be governing majority — Gov.-elect David Crowley, incoming Assembly Speaker Greta Neubauer and incoming Senate Majority Leader Dianne Hesselbein — all support legalization, but Hasselbein said Thursday the timing and manner (in the budget or as a standalone bill) are still to be determined.
By not legalizing pot, Democrats have argued the state is losing out on millions of dollars in tax revenue that can help fund state programs.
Opponents say they are too easily dismissing the downsides experienced in other states that have fully legalized pot, including the increasing potency of marijuana products, its healthcare and mental health effects, and cognitive and brain development impacts if the products are used by adolescents.
