Wisconsin’s governor has highlighted marijuana legalization as a top priority for the state’s 2025 legislative session.
Governor Tony Evers (D) (photo credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images).
Speaking during a budget listening tour last week, Governor Tony Evers (D) outlined his post-election plans, ranking “legalizing marijuana” second among his administration’s objectives for the coming year. Other key proposals included healthcare expansion, gun safety measures, and additional reforms.
Evers, a long-time advocate for marijuana legalization, continues to face opposition from the Republican-controlled legislature. Although Democrats gained seats in the last election, they remain the minority in both chambers, presenting significant hurdles to passing comprehensive legalization before the 2026 elections.
During the event last Monday, Evers also urged lawmakers to prioritize measures that advance “evidence-based justice reform,” emphasizing marijuana policy as a critical component of that agenda. He has frequently tied cannabis reform to broader efforts at improving the state’s criminal justice system.
In May, Evers expressed optimism that the November election might shift legislative control to Democrats, partly to pave the way for marijuana legalization. “We’ve been working hard over the last five years, several budgets, to make that happen,” he said at the time. “I know we’re surrounded by states with recreational marijuana, and we’re going to continue to do it.”
A poll by The Tarrance Group, released in August, found that 62% of Wisconsin residents favor legalizing marijuana for adult use.
Under current Wisconsin law, possessing even a miniscule amount of marijuana is a potential misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail for a first offense, and a felony with up to 3.5 years in jail for subsequent charges.
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