Wisconsin: Legislation Introduced to Regulate Marijuana

Assembly Bill 224 has been introduced to legalize and regulate the adult possession and use of marijuana in Wisconsin. Full text of the bill is here.

The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

“Legalization is a solution to increasing freedom and liberty in our society,” said the bill’s sponsor Rep. Melissa Sargent (D-Madison) at a Capitol news conference on Monday, April 13.

Annually, state and local police make some 16,000 marijuana possession arrests. The state ranks 19th in the nation in per capita marijuana possession arrests. Under state law, first-time marijuana possession offenses are classified as a criminal misdemeanor punishable by up to six-months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Subsequent offenses are classified as felony offenses, punishable by up to 3.5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Please visit NORML’s ‘Take Action Center’ to contact your state Assemblyperson and urge him/her to support this pending legislation:

http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/51046/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=16423