On August 1st, cannabis officially becomes legal in our neighboring state of Minnesota. Senate Democratic Leader Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released the following statement:
Senator Melissa Agard
“I would like to applaud the decisive action taken by the Minnesota Legislature, led by a Democratic trifecta. Minnesota now joins more than 20 other states who have done away with their inequitable policies of prohibition and legalized cannabis for the betterment of their state and constituents.
“Wisconsin is an island of prohibition. Now, approximately 700 miles of Wisconsin land borders a state with legal cannabis. Choosing to ignore this issue, as my Republican colleagues continue to do, is not a winning position.
“To be blunt, cannabis legalization is a fiscal issue and legalizing it in Wisconsin will generate significant revenue flow into our state and our communities. We are falling behind our neighbors and people are spending their hard earned dollars out of state.
“Every day that Wisconsin fails to legalize is one more day that we are less safe, less equitable, and less prosperous. It is past time we legalize cannabis in a manner that bolsters Wisconsin businesses, honors personal liberties, promotes criminal justice reform, and brings revenue back into our state that is currently flooding across our borders to neighboring states.”