Walworth County residents (not in order) Gary Baldwin, Mary Burpee, Bob Cole, Bob Peryea, Steven Doelder, Elliott Las and Jim Anton take part in a postcard-signing event at the Democratic Party of Walworth County office last week as part of an effort requesting the Walworth County Board of Supervisors revisit the issue of an advisory referendum on the legalization of marijuana in Wisconsin. On July 10, the board voted to place a resolution on the advisory referendum on file, essentially tabling the issue. (Dave Dresdow photo)
Walworth County Dems aim to bring advisory referendum back to the board
By Kellen Olshefski
Correspondent
The Democratic Party of Walworth County held post-card signing events last week in an effort to urge the Walworth County Board of Supervisors to allow voters to share their opinion about the legalization of marijuana.
The issue surfaced after the July 10 meeting when the Board voted in favor of placing a resolution on the advisory referendum on file rather than refer the topic to the Executive Committee for further discussion.
The resolution, drafted and approved by the Democratic Party of Walworth County, called for a countywide advisory referendum on the November 2018 ballot about the legalization and regulation of the adult use of cannabis.
Cannabis has already been legalized for either medical or full recreational use already in several states in America, with things like washington dc marijuana delivery growing in popularity as more people become aware of it. More states are expected to follow in the coming year.
There are several different ways to take it from cheap bubblers, to vape kits or edible gummies. Those in favor of legalization argue the medical benefits of cannabis such as treatments for chronic pain, stress, and anxiety. They also argue that it is a “soft” substance, similar to tobacco or alcohol which are legal to buy and consume.
In addition, states, where cannabis has been legalized, have reportedly seen an increase in local economies. There are already many businesses taking advantage of dispensary payments and customer service schemes to drive sales. Orange County, California in particular has become somewhat famed for its cannabis-derived products, apparently driving up tourism and immigration into the area. Nowadays, you could also buy cannabis online in a lot of states due to its medicinal value.
Those against legalization argue on moral grounds and that it may lead to more accidents if people become intoxicated. People already against alcohol and tobacco often see little reason to allow cannabis to join their ranks. Lastly, some residents feel that the use of cannabis for mental health issues is a temporary fix to the problem and that more should be done in terms of mental welfare instead.
The advisory referendum would have given Walworth County residents an opportunity to indicate their position – either for or against – the legalization of marijuana in Wisconsin.
Mary Jo Fesenmaier, secretary for the Democratic Party of Walworth County, said the reasoning behind the postcard writing events last week was about the rights of citizens and their ability to share their thoughts and opinions on topics such as marijuana legalization.
For more about the steps that group is taking as well as a recap of the discussion that took place among supervisors at the July 10 meeting, see the following area newspapers: Genoa City Report, East Troy News, Elkhorn Independent, Lake Geneva Times, Sharon Reporter, Walworth Times and Whitewater Register.
