Marijuana plants - Photo by WFAE
MADISON, WI (WSAU) – Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin formally introduced a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in Wisconsin.
Rep. Pat Snyder discussed why he supports the measure, saying, “After my experience passing right-to-try legislation, I heard from many advocates that were suffering and looking to avoid opioids while dealing with severe medical conditions. My legislation will ensure that Wisconsinites who need medical marijuana will have access while limiting abuse of the program. I am proud to lead on bringing medical marijuana to Wisconsin.”
If passed, Wisconsin would become the 39th state to legalize marijuana for medical use, which can be administered through medical cannabis concentrates, oils, tinctures, edibles, pills, topical forms, gels, creams, vapors, patches, and liquids. The bill would not legalize any type of smokable form of the drug.
The U.S. marijuana industry was valued at $13.2 billion in 2022, and over 40 million adults, or 16 percent of the population, use marijuana, according to the Daily Mail.
Medical marijuana has been linked to many benefits, most notably in the field of pain management when treating conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and migraines. However, the rise in marijuana use has led medical researchers to look into the possible side effects of using the drug daily, including evidence from a University of Washington study that found that it is possible to form an addiction to the drug, with many of their study’s respondents claiming that they did not feel “like themselves” without it.
Other side effects found through extensive studies conducted in Canada and Denmark include pregnancy complications and defects, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, psychotic breaks, and a more than double-user risk for symptoms of severe depression.
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