OSHKOSH – The city council will consider discussing whether to further reduce the penalties for marijuana possession in Oshkosh after one elected official brought the issue forward this week.
Council member Aaron Wojciechowski said it’s time for Oshkosh to catch up to cities that have fully decriminalized marijuana and align with efforts to change state law. He cited Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed two-year budget, which included a measure to legalize recreational marijuana until that part of the bill was slashed by Republicans and ultimately left out of the budget.
While it’s unclear what a proposed Oshkosh ordinance would entail, Wojciechowski said he wants to model it on the city of Madison’s new cannabis law that allows adults 18 and older to possess up to 28 grams without being fined.
“One of the the things I’m hoping for is that if we can’t completely eliminate the fee, that we can reduce it,” Wojciechowski told the Oshkosh Northwestern.
Oshkosh already has a marijuana decriminalization ordinance, and the council voted in 2018 to decrease the fine for a first possession to as low as $200, from $325 previously. The penalty for a second offense is between $525 and $1,000. The Oshkosh Police Department has the discretion to charge criminally for marijuana possession or issue a city citation for the offense.
Some council members voiced concerns about the ordinance superseding state authority, because under Wisconsin law it’s still illegal to possess, sell…
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OSHKOSH – The city council will consider discussing whether to further reduce the penalties for marijuana possession in Oshkosh after one elected official brought the issue forward this week.
Council member Aaron Wojciechowski said it’s time for Oshkosh to catch up to cities that have fully decriminalized marijuana and align with efforts to change state law. He cited Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed two-year budget, which included a measure to legalize recreational marijuana until that part of the bill was slashed by Republicans and ultimately left out of the budget.
While it’s unclear what a proposed Oshkosh ordinance would entail, Wojciechowski said he wants to model it on the city of Madison’s new cannabis law that allows adults 18 and older to possess up to 28 grams without being fined.
“One of the the things I’m hoping for is that if we can’t completely eliminate the fee, that we can reduce it,” Wojciechowski told the Oshkosh Northwestern.
Oshkosh already has a marijuana decriminalization ordinance, and the council voted in 2018 to decrease the fine for a first possession to as low as $200, from $325 previously. The penalty for a second offense is between $525 and $1,000. The Oshkosh Police Department has the discretion to charge criminally for marijuana possession or issue a city citation for the offense.
Some council members voiced concerns about the ordinance superseding state authority, because under Wisconsin law it’s still illegal to possess, sell…
