GOP lawmakers to hold medical marijuana events Monday

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin Republicans announced Friday a series of events they'll be hosting to promote legislation legalizing marijuana for medicinal use.

The display of GOP support for medical marijuana comes as Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said told reporters in interviews, including with CBS 58, he would be open to signing a Republican medical marijuana bill, even if it included more restrictions than he'd prefer.

Evers has proposed legalizing marijuana for recreational use in the last two budgets he proposed, in 2021 and 2023, and he's often touted the tax revenue it would bring Wisconsin.

Supporters of full legalization say, currently, the state loses far too much money on residents crossing into Illinois and Michigan, where recreation marijuana use is legal.

Cannabis sales in Illinois saw a 50% increase from fiscal year 2021 to 2022. That's nearly $450 million in tax revenue from $1.5 billion in recreational marijuana sales.

The office of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) sent out a release listing five press conferences scheduled for Monday. They were set to take place in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Eau Claire and Superior.

The Republican release offered no details about what the legislation looks like. Past efforts at legalizing medical marijuana, including a Republican-authored bill, fell short in part because of disagreements over how it'd be regulated. 

One area where lawmakers have been split is the question of whether people with past drug convictions should be allowed to participate in the medical marijuana economy, and which forms of marijuana consumption would be legal, such as smoking, edibles and oils.