People vs politics – Wisconsin remains divided over what to do about cannabis

Lawmakers in the US state of Wisconsin are sympathetic to patients who could benefit from medical cannabis – but they don’t want to go against federal law.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) places Wisconsin and its neighbour Iowa among the ten states that allow only CBD or low-THC products, as opposed to the 37 with comprehensive medical cannabis programs or legal recreational cannabis. Other states in the upper Midwest – Minnesota, North and South Dakota – have medical cannabis programs, while neighbours Michigan and Illinois have legalised recreational cannabis.

Cannabis remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance under federal law, and advocates in Wisconsin said lawmakers are hesitant to establish a state program that conflicts with that.