Tony Evers, the first-term Democrat, has been a vocal supporter of bringing cannabis legalization to Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced dozens of new pardons, including nine for individuals previously convicted for cannabis-related offenses.

“There is power in redemption and forgiveness, especially for folks who’ve been working to move beyond their past mistakes to be productive, positive members of their communities,” Evers said in a statement.

“I’m grateful for being able to give a second chance to these individuals who’ve worked hard to do just that.”

Wisconsin State Senate Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry will hold a public hearing on a medical marijuana bill (Senate Bill 1034) on April 20th. Sponsors say the fact that the hearing is scheduled on the popular 4/20 cannabis holiday is a coincidence. (Benzinga)

Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) responded to the hearing notice, saying that the Wisconsin residents are ready for cannabis reform, reported Wispolitics.

“It is supported by the majority of the residents of our state, including a majority of Republicans,” Agard said.

Wisconsin is moving in the right direction with legislation, but the lawmaker still anticipates a tough road for recreational pot.

A top Republican lawmaker in Wisconsin indicated on Monday that cannabis legalization is likely inevitable in the Badger State. 

Jim Steineke, the majority leader in the GOP-controlled state assembly, said in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio that the state could end pot prohibition “at some point.”

“Recreational marijuana, I think, has a much tougher path to get through the legislature and eventually signed into law, but I do think we’re heading in that direction,” Steineke said.

More people than ever in Wisconsin want to see pot legalized, according to a new poll. The Marquette Law School poll shows 61 percent of voters want marijuana to be legalized compared to 50 percent of voters back in 2013.

When it comes to legalization of marijuana by party affiliation, 51 percent of Republicans and 75 percent of Democrats support it.

Marquette did not ask specifically how people felt about medical marijuana like it has done in the past. There are two competing bills by Democrats and Republicans in Madison over whether to legalize medical marijuana. Both offer different restrictions on legalizing pot for medical purposes.

Megan Lowe sits with her daughter Nora who has Rett Syndrome.

Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate stopped an effort by Sen. Melissa Agard (D-Madison) to force a vote on legalizing the recreational use of cannabis. The Senate took up a bill Tuesday that would increase penalties for a person who uses a butane torch to extract resin from a cannabis plant. Agard introduced an amendment to the bill that, instead of making penalties harsher, would have completely legalized all uses of cannabis. 

3 Tall Pines Farm turns hemp into THC products that are being sold across the state

On the counter in the shop at 3 Tall Pines Farm, there's a large plastic jar full of carefully wrapped joints. The back wall is lined with cartridges of vaping liquid in different flavors. Workers pack orders as the scent of cannabis hangs in the air. The farm's hemp plants are drying in the next room.

Wisconsin lawmakers recently unveiled a bipartisan bill to decriminalize marijuana statewide. The bill is not the first of its kind, but it benefits from the exceedingly rare support of some Republican politicians, setting it apart from the usual Democrat-led initiatives shunned by the Republican legislature.

Under this bill, possession of a personal-use amount of marijuana would be subjected to a fine of $100 for possessing 14 grams of marijuana or less. Municipalities would have some discretion, but they cannot enact a penalty lesser than $100 or greater than $250, or up to 40 hours of community service. Any amount greater than 14 grams could still be subjected to the current law.

'The mainstreaming of medical cannabis is going to depend a lot on state level industries’ ability to develop products that appeal to customer’s health needs,' UW professor says.

Recent studies on the use of medical cannabis provide differing evidence regarding the benefits or risks of the drug in medicinal treatments and applications.

The discussion surrounding cannabis is becoming more prevalent within the medical field as its use recreationally and medicinally increases nationwide. At the University of Wisconsin, experts are examining the history, potential advantages and potential downsides of using cannabis as a treatment in a variety of patients.