Wisconsin governor wants to legalize cannabis

In an address this Sunday, the governor of the US state of Wisconsin revealed his budget for 2021-2023. In his plan, Tony Evers proposes to legalize cannabis recreational.

«Legalizing and taxing cannabis in Wisconsin - as we already do with alcohol - ensures we have a controlled market and a healthy product, for recreational or therapeutic use. It can also open the door to an infinite number of opportunities, to reinvest in our communities and create a more equitable state.», said the elected Democrat.

If the governor's proposal goes ahead, Wisconsin would become the 15th U.S. state to allow recreational cannabis. The state of Milwaukee, bordered by the great lakes of the north of the country, would also follow in the footsteps of its neighbors. Michigan has permits at the end of 2019. And Illinois has followed suit a few weeks later, in early 2020.

One billion dollars

The example of Illinois, the state where Chicago is located, also attracts by an insolent fiscal success. «The first year cannabis was legalized in Illinois, it was a huge success. Sales were a billion dollars, and $100 million was generated by taxes. And that's not counting other city and county taxes.», says a spokesperson for an Illinois cannabis company, quoted by 12 News.

In 2019, a Marquette University poll showed that 60 % of Wisconsin's population approved of legalizing recreational cannabis. And despite this popular support, the local Senate has rejected the authorization of medical cannabis in September 2019. 

To legalize recreational cannabis, Governor Evers will once again have to battle against the Grand Old Party. The conservative party has a majority in both houses of the local legislature. In the House of Representatives, 60 out of 99 members are Republicans. In the Senate, they control the majority with 20 out of 33 elected members.