Wisconsin Republicans May Consider Legalizing Medical Marijuana

Thursday, January 12th, 2023 -- 12:01 PM

(By Rob Mentzer, Wisconsin Public Radio) Republican leaders in Wisconsin say legalizing medical marijuana could be part of their legislative agenda for 2023.

According to Rob Mentzer with Wisconsin Public Radio, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, told Wisconsin Public Radio's "The Morning Show" on Monday that he favors partial legalization of the drug.

"I support a form of medical marijuana, where it is very restricted, so it's only going to folks who have a true medical condition," Vos said. He also called legalization of the drug for recreational purposes "poisonous" within the GOP caucus.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has repeatedly called for Wisconsin to legalize recreational weed. It's not the first time Vos or Assembly GOP leaders have signaled limited support for liberalizing Wisconsin's drug laws.

The state has become an anomaly in the Midwest in recent years by not moving to legalize medicinal or recreational weed. In early 2022, then-Majority Leader Rep. Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, said he foresaw medical marijuana legalization "at some point."

But Vos's latest comments come after Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week that he believes the GOP caucus in the Senate is "close" to agreeing on the passage of a medical marijuana bill.

Republican support for that bill would be predicated on strict regulations that ensure it would only be prescribed to those with serious medical needs, LeMahieu told the newspaper.

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