The Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA) and the Wisconsin Tribal Task Force on Cannabis unveiled their Wisconsin Wellness campaign, aimed at legalizing medical cannabis in the state. According to the Daily Cardinal, Wisconsin is currently the only Upper Midwest state without some form of cannabis legalization.
At a press conference, Michael Decorah, Founder of the Wisconsin Tribal Task Force on Cannabis, highlighted the lack of legislative action in the state. Decorah noted that residents often have to travel to neighboring states like Michigan and Illinois—where both medical and adult-use cannabis are legal—to obtain their medicine. “Our citizens are having to make a choice of whether to really commit a crime to go get their medicine and bring it back to the state,” Decorah said.
The campaign also received support from state Senator Melissa Agard (D), who emphasized the economic and social benefits of legalization. Agard pointed out that legalizing cannabis could generate “well over $160 million in additional tax revenue every single year.”
In April, the Ho-Chunk Nation decriminalized cannabis on tribal lands, though this does not shield individuals from federal prosecution. Rob Pero, founder of ICIA and a cannabis entrepreneur, voiced support for industry regulation, stressing the importance of protecting businesses that are committed to producing quality medicine.
The Wisconsin Wellness campaign aims to address the current gap in cannabis access and advocate for reform in a state where medical cannabis remains illegal.
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