-submitted by Joy Cardin
Ari Brown, senior research associate at the Wisconsin Policy Forum, presented data from two recent studies conducted by the non-partisan organization that examined marijuana laws nationwide. They found Wisconsin is one of 12 states in the country without a medical marijuana program and one of 26 that doesn’t allow recreational marijuana. Each state uses a different system for taxes and eligibility requirements. Three of Wisconsin’s neighboring states – Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota – have legalized recreational marijuana and 50% of Wisconsin residents now live within a 75-minute drive of a legal dispensary. Michigan reported $2 billion in sales in 2023, Illinois had $1.6 billion, Minnesota’s recreational marijuana dispensaries won’t be set up until 2025. Brown noted that bills in Wisconsin to legalize marijuana for any purpose have repeatedly stalled and a new bi-partisan bill to legalize medical marijuana is unlikely to pass.
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Rotary Club of Madison, Wisconsin 