Democrats tour the state pushing medical marijuana bill
GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- The Democratic push for medical marijuana in Wisconsin circled the state again Wednesday.
The most recent bill to legalize medical marijuana in Wisconsin was introduced in February. So far, there hasn't been any action on it.
Siding with Democratic State Senators at Brown County's Courthouse, Trevor Sand urged people to give medical marijuana a chance.
“I was on over 40 medications, I was just a zombie,” said Sand, who lives in Two Rivers. “Nothing was helping.”
Sand, paralyzed from a swimming incident, turned to marijuana as an alternative to opioids.
“Within seconds the pain, all my anxiety, everything, the spasms, all the bouncing stopped,” said Sand. “I couldn't believe it.”
Democratic legislators are asking medical marijuana supporters like Sand to call their representatives and ask for a public hearing.
“This could be done,” said State Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton). “It's just a matter of whether or not certain Republicans in very key positions are willing to step forward.”
“I think the best thing we can do right now in the state is really glean from the other states that have already gone down that road and make sure we fully understand the impacts that this could have before Wisconsin takes that plunge,” said State Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton).
29 states have approved medical marijuana legislation.
Roth believes about a decade would be the appropriate period to wait and see what develops in those states.
“There must be a lot of apprehension in the medical community because not one organization in the medical community has lined up in support of this bill,” said Roth. “I think that ought to be very telling where we are in this state, where the medical community is when it comes to legalizing marijuana.”
According to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission, the National Association of Social Workers is the only group that has formally endorsed the bill.
Several national polls within the past year show nearly 90 percent of Americans believe medical marijuana should be legal.
