A board of health experts, lawmakers and attorneys from the State of Wisconsin are closely examining the legal and health issues of CBD and Marijuana. With a new Democratic governor in office, certain lawmakers are optimistic as discussions are being held by the State health panel over possible future regulations of cannabidiol.
State Representative Chris Taylor (D-Madison) stated that even while the house undividedly passed the industrial hemp bill in November 2017, there are still a lot of unresolved issues and unknowns surrounding CBD and its effects over lengthy use.
Taylor reinstated that the industry is still largely unregulated and there hasn’t been a large set of research available on CBD to support it compared to those on cannabis, as CBD is a comparatively new product launched in the market.
CBD which is obtained from hemp is known to have therapeutic benefits treating patients with conditions of anxiety, depression, and epilepsy, among others. It contains less than 0.3% of THC which is already legal in Wisconsin.
The passing of the 2018 Farm Bill led hemp to be assigned as an agricultural crop; however, products containing CBD oils are caught in a legal tussle causing widespread confusion.
State Senator Patrick Testin who drafted the 2017 Industrial Hemp Bill and initiated the test program, is looking forward to lawmakers passing more regulations on hemp products during the coming sessions.
With the issue of legalizing medical marijuana back in the eye of the storm, Governor Tony Evers expressed his inclination to allow doctors to prescribe cannabis for treating patients. He believes on voters having a final say on the issue of decriminalizing marijuana for recreational purpose.
Around November, 16 countries have comprehended their citizen’s opinion through public voting on the subject of legalizing cannabis. Results in many countries showed overwhelming support from voters to legalize it.
Evers stated that though there are a lot of political hurdles to overcome with the subject in hand, he is open to new options and perspectives on the issue.
With Governor Tony Evers on board and willing to new avenues, lawmakers are optimistic of making progress in either decriminalizing marijuana use or in effecting a medical cannabis program.
Past President of American Society of Addiction Medicine, Dr. Mike Miller strives to aid those battling with addiction. While both the republicans and democrats may have a different view on the subject of marijuana, he believes that decriminalizing it could bring in the middle ground for both the sides.
Miller stated, “We have a lot of social problems that derived from the war on drugs; filling up prisons and spending tax dollars on incarceration that might be able to be avoided”
On the other end, Republican leaders are staunchly refusing to support recreational use of marijuana while a faction of them is considering making it legal for medical use alone.
Testin reinstates that though he isn’t sure if progress will be made in the coming, or the next sessions regarding marijuana use, it will be significant to put their names out to have a public consensus on the issue.
With neighboring states like Michigan and Illinois already on the move drafting steps to legalize marijuana, there has been an increased push for the state of Wisconsin to do so. A key issue that lawmakers are addressing is the alarm that many people may drive beyond the border to gain access to marijuana.
