After hearing about this proposal, now numbered Senate Bill 790, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with a proposal that took away local control and undid years and years of efforts to lower local penalties. I labored long over this letter, finally getting it to the point where I felt it was ready for submission to the WSJ.

Dear Editor,

Current Wisconsin law against cannabis dates to 1972. Since then, many localities around the state have decriminalized possession of small amounts of pot through local ordinances. Other less populated areas continued to use state criminal law.

Recently, a small group of Republicans and Democrats proposed legislation that would decriminalize small amounts of cannabis statewide.

It's a good sign that a few legislative Republicans are willing to publicly defy the long embrace of criminalizing cannabis by their caucus.

What's troubling is the proposal requires taking away hard fought local cannabis statutes that have reduced and even eliminated penalties for cannabis possession in the state's most populous areas. This means while the areas still prioritizing cannabis arrests would see reduced penalties, millions of other Wisconsinites would face higher penalties.

Opponents of this proposal can likely rest easy. Bills introduced this late in the session generally go nowhere. There was talk of a public hearing, but don't expect GOP leadership to greenlight any discussion. They know a hearing would put their party's prohibitionist ideology on trial and highlight how far behind our state is, and how Michigan and Illinois are making millions off Wisconsinites visiting their marijuana stores.

As with prior attempts at reform, expect this bill to die in committee without a vote. In this case, most cannabis consumers will be better off waiting for lawmakers to get serious.

Gary Storck, Madison

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