Bob Uecker, legendary broadcast announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers, once joked about how he was born in Milwaukee after his parents returned from a trip to Chicago in 1934 to purchase margarine. 

Many Wisconsinites may not recall the ban on yellow margarine in 1895 to protect the state’s dairy farmers — margarine being a common butter substitute. For years, Wisconsinites made the trek to surrounding Midwestern states to satisfy their need for the more cost-effective ingredient. 

While this concept appears almost laughable now, many advocates for marijuana legalization are sensing the pungent scent of déjà vu, as residents make regular trips across state lines for legal cannabis.

Cannabis reform remains a relatively polarizing topic in the state Capitol, as Wisconsin is one of only 12 states in the country without any form of legal cannabis legislation. For more than a decade, organizations and activists have made strides to spread the word about legalization efforts, lobby lawmakers and spark the conversation among Wisconsinites.  

The discussion of legalization is more complex than simply voting yes or no. 

Achieving equity in cannabis reform has become central to the conversation, shaped by factors like economic opportunity, public safety and social justice. Attention turns to the individuals and industries leading the way, showcasing the unique contributions of those navigating this evolving landscape.

“I spent a lot of time engaging with the community, and it became clear to me from those conversations that cannabis prohibition in Wisconsin was actually creating less opportunity, not increasing safety, and was not honoring people’s personal liberties and freedom,” says state Sen. Melissa Agard (D-Madison).

Agard is the leading force for cannabis legalization within the Capitol. Soon after her initial election to the Legislature in 2012, Agard began working on the issue, introducing her bill for full legalization.

A decade later, it still hasn’t passed, although it continues to take shape each time she introduces it to reflect changes in public sentiment. 

The most recent includes the use of both medical and recreational cannabis products, as well as the manufacturing, distribution, delivery and possession of marijuana.

Agard was nervous about the public’s reception of the legislation upon its conception. However, her skepticism was quickly quashed, as she received subtle gestures of support from constituents at the grocery store and her children’s soccer matches.

This positive feedback in support of full legalization gained traction and, in recent years, has become a relatively mainstream opinion. According to a February 2024 Marquette Law School Poll, 63% of Wisconsin voters support marijuana legalization, while 86% of voters back medicinal use.

Agard says these numbers are significant considering that in Wisconsin an election decided by three percentage points is considered a landslide victory.    

“This is clearly not a partisan issue anywhere but in the state Capitol building,” Agard says.

The main opposition to the bill is the Republicans who control the state Legislature.

They’ve put forward their own proposals, including a bill that would take a stricter approach to medicinal dispensaries, only providing nonsmokable products to citizens with serious illnesses and diseases.

While Democrats view such a plan as a step in the right direction, Agard and her constituents prioritize the public interest for several reasons, including the economic impacts.

Even as legalization efforts are stuck in the Legislature, businesses that sell cannabinoid products continue to open around Wisconsin. They’re creating new opportunities for the cannabis market as it continues to grow into a more tangible venture for Wisconsinites. 

Knuckleheads is among these stores, recently opening a secondary location in Madison to accompany its original State Street shop. 

The walls are lined with all kinds of cannabis glassware and cases stocked full of CBD — an abbreviation for cannabidiol, a compound found in cannabis plants — and hemp-derived oils, pens and extensive selections of flower. 

All of them are completely legal under the 2018 farm bill.  Also known as the Agricultural Improvement Act, the bill officially reclassified hemp making it legal to grow industrially.  

Store manager Seth Blackstone says the law has advanced research and development of cannabinoid products. 

“I think the farm bill opened up the horizon to researching what could be found, extracted and utilized from hemp and CBD flower,” Blackstone says.

After working in the CBD and cannabis industry for about four years, Blackstone has learned a great deal about the market and the effects of different products. He says many products are helpful for the public, whether that means medically or recreationally.

Blackstone echoes the idea that legalization is bound to occur in Wisconsin at some point — it is simply a matter of when. 

With many of the driving forces against legalization losing steam, he mentions the economic benefits that legalization brings to the state level.

“Economically, it just makes sense,” Blackstone says. “You see places like Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan and the tax benefits that they’ve been able to reap from legalization.”

In 2023, Illinois’ marijuana dispensaries raked in $417.6 million in sales tax, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue. 

While this figure demonstrates a considerable impact at the state level, Agard highlights the impact of legalization on marginalized groups as well, stressing that morals and values must be accounted for in policy writing.

“A good portion of the revenue would go into social equity funds that would be accessible to family farms, female-owned businesses and businesses owned by people of color that were involved in the cannabis industry,” Agard says.

Policymakers like Agard remain aware of the fluid nature of the current Legislature and point out ways that laws impact public safety. In fact, Agard says the Farm Bill policies are flawed, including the creation of an unsafe environment for those who choose to purchase cannabis products.

“We have access to many dispensaries across the state of Wisconsin that are selling CBD and what I would call cannabis-like products within them that are legal because of the Farm Bill, but unregulated and actually creating confusion and less safety than if we actually would have co-legalization,” Agard says.

Despite more than a decade of tireless effort working with the people of Wisconsin to fight for what appears to be a clear public position, Agard’s bill has never seen a public hearing, 

However, she remains hopeful that the next legislative session could prove fruitful in further pushing the envelope. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and a majority of legislators and state residents support her bill, and a gerrymandered Legislature has prevented the bill from moving forward, she says.

“What it boils down to is: the people of Wisconsin want this,” Agard says. “We have thoughtful, pragmatic policy that has been drafted and vetted over the years…So let’s see what we can do about getting it to move forward here in Wisconsin.” 

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Cover photo and tile photo: Illustration of Madison Capitol by Ava McNarney