A Wisconsin senator who recently introduced a bill to legalize marijuana in the state sent a letter to the leader of the U.S. Senate on Thursday, applauding his work to end federal cannabis prohibition. State Sen. Melissa Agard (D) told U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that his leadership on the issue is “moving our country forward and away from harmful cannabis laws of the past.” She said the draft federal legalization bill that Schumer introduced last month alongside Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) is a “thoughtful and comprehensive” piece of legislation to that end. “Here in Wisconsin, I am proud to have introduced the first full legalization bill in our state’s history back in 2013 when I was a member of the State Assembly,” Agard said. “I have introduced this bill every session since then and we continue to gather additional support each year.” She added that this time around, her legalization bill—which she announced at a press conference outside a marijuana dispensary in neighboring Illinois—already has “more cosponsors than in any previous session,” and she’s seeing “support grow around the state” as advocates and local leaders push for reform. Agard’s bill would legalize, tax and regulate sales of cannabis to adults 21 and older in Wisconsin, bringing the state in line with neighboring Illinois and Michigan, where cannabis is already legal. Adult residents could possess up to two ounces of marijuana and grow up to six plants for personal use, while visitors from out of state could possess no more than one-quarter ounce.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 08/16/2021 13:27:00