Adult-Use Cannabis Bill Introduced in Wisconsin
- An adult-use cannabis legalization bill has been introduced in Wisconsin, but it is likely to be blocked again by Republican lawmakers, continuing a pattern of failed attempts in 2013, 2015, 2017, and recent budget rejections.
- The proposed bill would legalize both adult-use and medical cannabis in the state, aiming to support the existing cannabis industry.
- State Rep. Darrin Madison emphasized that the bill would protect Wisconsin’s $700 million hemp-derived THC industry from a looming federal ban and address racial disparities in cannabis-related arrests.
- A June 2025 Marquette Law School poll showed that 67% of Wisconsin voters support cannabis legalization, with strong backing from Democrats and independents, while a majority of Republicans oppose it.
An adult-use cannabis bill has been introduced in Wisconsin, but the reforms are likely to be, again, blocked by Republican lawmakers in the state, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. It’s at least the third time a legalization bill has been proposed in the state – similar bills failed in 2013, 2015, and 2017 – and for from 2023 to 2025 Democratic Gov. Tony Evers included the reforms in his executive budget but they were rejected by GOP lawmakers.
The bill would also legalize medical cannabis in the state.
In a statement, state Rep. Darrin Madison (D), said the bill would prevent the collapse of the state’s hemp-derived THC industry as a federal ban looms.
“We already have an important, thriving cannabis industry in Wisconsin, one worth $700 million by some estimates. That’s because when Congress legalized some hemp-derived products in 2018, Wisconsin entrepreneurs didn’t wait around. They built an entire cannabis supply chain – from farmers growing hemp, to processors extracting cannabinoids, to manufacturers producing edibles and beverages, to retailers selling those products across the state. We need to safely regulate this industry, not destroy it. This legislation also helps right a generational wrong in Wisconsin’s criminal legal system. Black and white Americans use cannabis at roughly the same rates – yet in 2022 in Wisconsin, Black people were more than five times as likely to be arrested for possession.” — Madison in a press release
A June 2025 poll from Marquette Law School found 67% of Wisconsin voters support cannabis legalization in the state with 33% opposed. A majority of Republicans polled, 56%, opposed the reforms, while majorities of independents, 79%, and Democrats, 88%, were in favor.