Weed Debate in Wisconsin

[Galway Eagle]

Just curious what the thoughts are around here. Saw Evers wanted to introduce Recreational in the budget.  Seems to be going alright to various degrees around the country. Should WI join the movement or no? And will they?

Added a poll so we could get an anonymous idea of the people debating this.

[GB Warrior]

Vice taxes are where it's at, so why let the northern IL suburbs reap all the benefits when we have budget shortfalls to fill?

There is legitimately no good reason not to

[Uncle Rico]

Just curious what the thoughts are around here. Saw Evers wanted to introduce Recreational in the budget.  Seems to be going alright to various degrees around the country. Should WI join the movement or no? And will they?

The Tavern League is dug in deep on this issue and the Tavern League of Wisconsin is a tough nut to crack.

The arguments being framed against it all go back to the Tavern League talking points.  It doesn't make any sense to me because a lot of Tabern League partners would be in the weed business

[rocket surgeon]

more and more studies are showing pot to be a gateway drug. 

[Galway Eagle]

more and more studies are showing pot to be a gateway drug.

I invite you to share the studies. This topic should be an actual debate on it.

Do these studies show that weed leads to "trying" or sustained consistent use of other drugs? Do they compare against alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, prescription drugs (xanex, nirovam, painkillers, adderall), or even something as simple as sugar?

I only ask because if they're looking at who currently uses an illegal drug then that user has already shown to engage in illicit behavior and would be more likely to engage in other illicit behaviors. If they look at states where it is legal and compare against other legal substances they'd get a more accurate number of what it truly a gateway drug.

[tower912]

Revenue enhancer in Michigan.    I ran calls on two drunk drivers involved in car accidents this week but I have yet to run a call on someone who wrecked their car on weed.   

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

It will be legal (and taxed) in Wisconsin eventually.

[Hards Alumni]

more and more studies are showing pot to be a gateway drug.

Bigger gateway drug are physician prescribed opiates.  Yet, those remain legal.

[tower912]

So true.   We (my fire department as well as the police department in my city) hand out NarCan like orange slices at a soccer game. 

[Uncle Rico]

more and more studies are showing pot to be a gateway drug.

More and more studies show pot is the leading cause of death in America

[GooooMarquette]

Bigger gateway drug are physician prescribed opiates.  Yet, those remain legal.

Yep. Opiates are a bigger gateway drug than marijuana, and cigarettes are a far more deadly one. Yet both are legal.

We're having a similar debate here in MN, with our Democratic governor and state legislators generally in favor and GOP legislators generally opposed.

[Goose]

Legalize it in WI and add sports betting while they are it. I would vote yes on both.

[Hards Alumni]

Legalize it in WI and add sports betting while they are it. I would vote yes on both.

Heavily tax both and earmark that money for education and infrastructure.  Similar to how Michigan earmarks their lotto money for education. 

Either way, I'm on board.

[Galway Eagle]

The Tavern League is dug in deep on this issue and the Tavern League of Wisconsin is a tough nut to crack.

The arguments being framed against it all go back to the Tavern League talking points.  It doesn't make any sense to me because a lot of Tabern League partners would be in the weed business

So if someone posed the idea of a weed centric tavern to the tavern league would they be more likely to support it?

[GB Warrior]

I welcome rocket's research on this. My mother-in-law (as left as they come) ran labs for several decades that included studies on addictive tendencies of THC, and there's a thread to be pulled there (studies were in more concentrated and sustained forms than most consumers will experience). But the idea that it is anywhere near on par with other substance dependencies - both on an individual and societal level - has not really born out in what I've seen.

And 100% agree that the Tavern Leagues pockets are the primary barrier in WI

[Uncle Rico]

So if someone posed the idea of a weed centric tavern to the tavern league would they be more likely to support it?

They fight stricter drunk driving laws, so no 😬

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

And I don't understand the Tavern League's point of view here.  They were also against smoking bans, but that turned out to be a big nothingburger too.

[tower912]

The tertiary effects of legalizing week include the explosion of CBD products at the different distributors.    CBD oils for anxiety relief or sleep help.    I haven't tried them yet, as there is still a gray area with work about using them, but muscle relaxing and pain relief gummies is definitely something I am going to investigate after I retire.   

[mu_hilltopper]

It will be legal (and taxed) in Wisconsin eventually.

This.

It. Is. Inevitable.

Why not get it over with and start collecting taxes?

[skianth16]

Heavily tax both and earmark that money for education and infrastructure.  Similar to how Michigan earmarks their lotto money for education. 

Either way, I'm on board.

All the numbers make sense. Should be a slam dunk. But it's a big mental shift for a good chunk of the population. Things people were raised to think of as bad or immoral, like drugs and gambling, can be hard to change your mind about. Facts don't always outweigh emotion.

[cheebs09]

How do other states handle drug tests with relation to employment? I work in the manufacturing industry, and I know we do drug tests and worry about people operating machinery. I suppose it is just like making sure someone isn't drunk at work.

I believe the Tavern League was a thorn in the side for Covid based on shutting down bars and restaurants.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

How do other states handle drug tests with relation to employment? I work in the manufacturing industry, and I know we do drug tests and worry about people operating machinery. I suppose it is just like making sure someone isn't drunk at work.

I believe the Tavern League was a thorn in the side for Covid based on shutting down bars and restaurants.

They are debating to make legal in Connecticut.

I'm in manufacturing also.  From what I understand is it up to the company.  If the company says the employees must be clean from MJ despite being legal in the state, and the employee tests positive then the company can fire said employee.

[Pakuni]

How do other states handle drug tests with relation to employment? I work in the manufacturing industry, and I know we do drug tests and worry about people operating machinery. I suppose it is just like making sure someone isn't drunk at work.

I believe the Tavern League was a thorn in the side for Covid based on shutting down bars and restaurants.

In Illinois, employers can still conduct "reasonable" drug testing, including for pot, and refuse or terminate employment based on a positive test.

[Jockey]

Yep. Opiates are a bigger gateway drug than marijuana, and cigarettes are a far more deadly one. Yet both are legal.

We're having a similar debate here in MN, with our Democratic governor and state legislators generally in favor and GOP legislators generally opposed.

Same here. gOP calls the shots and they will not allow it.

[21Jumpstreet]

Absolutely yes. Making it legal not only brings in tax revenue (although I'm not for heavily taxing it, normal sales taxes are fine) but it does two more important things, to me anyway.

It allows people to use it as therapy, without fear of use or transport or difficulty getting products, for a myriad of health issues, like my father-in-law who passed from ALS.

It also potentially eliminates what I think is a wide imbalance in equal justice, the current creation enforcement of marijuana laws. The war on drugs, so to speak. A different topic for a different space, perhaps.