Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Your neighborhood. Your News.

Milwaukee NNSnewsMilwaukee NNSSearch
Subscribe to NNS today!
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
    • Arts and Recreation
    • Community
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Health and Wellness
    • Housing
    • Public Safety
    • NNS Spotlight
    • Special Report
  • Posts From Community
    • Submit a Story
  • Community Voices
  • How To
  • Multimedia
    • NNS Local Video
    • Photos
    • NNS on Lake Effect
    • NNS WGLB 1560 Radio
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • About
    • Staff
    • Partners
    • News 414
    • The neighborhoods we cover
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Diederich College of Communication, Marquette University


Language: English English Spanish Spanish

You are here: Home / Home / Carousel / Milwaukee groups urge residents to vote “yes” for legalizing marijuana

Milwaukee groups urge residents to vote “yes” for legalizing marijuana

November 1, 2018 by Edgar Mendez Leave a Comment

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Voters in 16 counties, including Milwaukee, will have an opportunity on Nov. 6 to address a referendum question on marijuana. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)

Wisconsin should legalize the use of marijuana, said Craig Johnson, president of the Wisconsin Justice Initiative (WJI).

“It’s time for Wisconsin to join the 21st century and end cannabis prohibition laws,” Johnson said during a recent press conference at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. Currently, recreational marijuana is legal in nine states while medicinal use is legal in 30 states.

WJI, ACLU of Wisconsin, MICAH and several state leaders, including Rep. David Bowen, are calling for voters to support legalization of medicinal and recreational marijuana by voting yes to the non-binding referendum question on their ballots Nov. 6.

In Milwaukee County the referendum question will be, “Do you favor allowing adults 21 years of age and older to engage in personal use of marijuana, while also regulating commercial marijuana-related activities, and imposing a tax on the sale of marijuana?” Variations of that question are also on the ballot in 15 additional Wisconsin counties and two municipalities.

Legalizing marijuana not only creates economic benefits but it’s also a social justice issue, explained Molly Collins, advocacy director at the ACLU of Wisconsin. Collins said a 2013 report from the ACLU showed that statewide, African-Americans were six times as likely than white people to be arrested for possession of marijuana, despite similar rates of usage.

State Rep. David Bowen said legalizing marijuana would not only improve the economy in Wisconsin but could reduce targeting of minorities by law enforcement. (Photo by Grace Connatser)

“Giving someone a criminal record for simple possession creates a lifetime of collateral damage. The punishment should fit the crime, and public opinion increasingly favors more sensible drug policy and a new approach to marijuana,” Collins said.

That report prompted ACLU’s national office to take a closer look at arrest data in Milwaukee, which led to a $3.4 million lawsuit settlement and reform of the city’s stop and frisk policy.

State Rep. David Bowen said that legalization would reduce the criminalization of black and brown communities and that it could free up resources for law enforcement.

“Law enforcement spends millions targeting people over the use of this harmless substance,” Bowen said.

He said it is essential that voters can ensure that their perspective is heard by voting on Nov. 6. “A lot of people are ready for progressive policy when it comes to marijuana regulation,” Bowen added.

Several members of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, including John Weishan Jr., have voiced support for legalization and Supervisor Sylvia Velez-Ortiz has proposed a study on the possible economic impact of hemp cultivation, possibly at the Mitchell Park greenhouses.

In addition to Bowen, several other state legislators who represent Milwaukee, including Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa and Sen. LaTonya Johnson, have also publicly supported legalization. Johnson sponsored a marijuana legalization bill in the state senate and Bowen authored a bill that would remove THC — the primary active ingredient in marijuana — from employment drug tests, in an effort to bolster the state’s workforce.

“It’s an economic issue. We need people to fill jobs,” Bowen said of the bill.

On the flip side, Gov. Scott Walker has often spoken publicly about his opposition to legalizing marijuana, describing it as a “gateway” drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, some research suggests that marijuana use is likely to precede the use of other substances and the development of addiction.

Walker’s opponent in the Nov. 6 election, Tony Evers, has publicly stated that he supports and would sign a medical marijuana bill and believes that the referendum in Wisconsin would help determine whether full legalization should occur.

Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, a Republican who is also up for re-election on Nov. 6, said during a debate in Milwaukee that he is against legalization, while his Democratic opponent, Josh Kaul, supports legalization of medical marijuana. Much of the support for or against legalization falls along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans against it.

Latina community organizer Luz Sosa said she has never been a marijuana user, but she supports legalization for economic reasons, suggesting an excise tax on sales to raise revenue for the state.

“That money could go back into public goods such as education and health care,” said Sosa, pointing out positive economic results in other states that have legalized marijuana.

Whether or not voters pass the referendum on Nov. 6, marijuana could still be legalized in Wisconsin, but approval would be an important step toward changing the state’s policy on cannabis, Bowen said.

“I think it opens up the conversation for folks on both sides of the aisle, but especially for Republicans,” he said. “They would have insight on how Wisconsin residents feel about going down that direction.”

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Filed Under: Carousel, Community, Home, Neighborhoods, News

About Edgar Mendez

Facebook |  Twitter | More stories from Edgar

Edgar is a senior staff reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Mendez is a proud graduate of UW-Milwaukee, where he double majored in Journalism and Sociology, and of Marquette University, where he earned a master’s degree in Communication. As an accomplished journalist, Edgar’s awards include a 2018 Regional Edward R. Murrow award, several press club awards and a Society of Professional Journalists’ regional award for columns dealing with issues such as poverty, homelessness and racism.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Recent News

Why was the leader of the Office of Violence Prevention ousted? More than a week later, answers remain elusive.

5 things to know and do the weekend of Aug. 12

If you weren’t eligible for rental assistance before, you may be now

Advertisement
Give today to support our mission. Donate to Milwaukee NNS.
Advertisement

News

  • Arts and Recreation
  • Economic Development
  • Education
  • Health and Wellness
  • Housing
  • Public Safety
  • NNS Spotlight
  • Special Reports

Engage with us

  • Posts from Community
  • Community Voices
  • Submit a Story

About NNS

  • Staff
  • Partners
  • News414
  • The neighborhoods we cover
  • Careers
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS feed

Communities

Contact

mailing address
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Diederich College of Communication
Marquette University
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Johnston Hall 430
Milwaukee, WI 53233

email
info@milwaukeenns.org

phone & fax
PHONE: 414.604.6397 FAX: 414.288.6494


Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is a project of Diederich College of Communication and Marquette University.
© 2020 Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Terms of use.
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee WI 53233 • info@milwaukeenns.org

Copyright © 2022 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in