Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says there’s no ‘pathway’ to legalizing recreational marijuana

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in an interview said legislative leaders have just begun talking about what kind of medical marijuana proposal they could support and suggested Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ plans to introduce a state budget that legalizes marijuana for recreational use could deter Republican support.

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week his caucus, a longstanding hurdle to legalizing marijuana in Wisconsin, is “pretty close” to supporting a medical marijuana program. Vos said this week discussions have just begun and the two houses are nowhere near an agreement yet.

Like LeMahieu, Vos said he would only support a medical marijuana program aimed at treating chronic pain.

“I want to make sure that, at least from my perspective, we are crystal clear this is not about a pathway toward recreational (marijuana), it’s not about creating a new industry with all kinds of new revenue for the state,” he told the Journal Sentinel at a swearing-in ceremony for newly elected Republican state Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield). “It’s about making sure that people who suffer with a chronic disease get relief in a way that helps their quality of life be better.”

[Read more at Milwaukee Journal Sentinal]