From Kriss Marion

Lafayette County Supervisor District 8 Blanchardville

To the editor:

Readers may be aware of the heated discussion at May’s Lafayette County Law Enforcement Committee about a proposed ordinance to ban marijuana selling establishments and a proposed resolution opposing the legalization of marijuana in Wisconsin. I attended that meeting as a county supervisor gathering information for constituents who had called, emailed and messaged me. 

The primary concerns of the constituents I talked to were that the ordinance as written could prohibit the sale of hemp CBD products and that the resolution as written would imply county-wide disapproval of medical marijuana. 

I have personally fought for years to legalize hemp at the state and federal levels. With hemp recently made legal in the federal Farm Bill, many Lafayette County farmers have invested thousands of dollars to produce hemp this year. We must protect their ability to sell locally and directly to consumers, if they so choose.

But perhaps more importantly, we must protect the right of citizens to speak without fear to their elected representatives. In this meeting, a Blanchardville veteran offered his assistance and perspective. This young man is part of a nonpartisan group working in Washington D.C. and Madison to win veterans the right to transition off opioids and control pain and PTSD through medical cannabis. In response, a county supervisor cut him off and told him he should move to another state. 

I am completely opposed to this sort of behavior and attitude. Furthermore, our fair county, with a chronic and deepening workforce crisis, as well as decades-long population decline, can’t afford to treat citizens with such disrespect or treat new ideas with such disdain. Regardless of where this county lands on the issues of CBD sales or medical marijuana, we must commit to reasoning together carefully and civilly, weighing research and data and cultivating an atmosphere of welcome at county meetings.

The proposals were tabled, but may be considered this month. If you have something to say, please contact your supervisor and plan to attend the law enforcement meeting at 6:30 p.m., June 25. If you want to talk at the county board meeting at 7:30 p.m., make that request a week ahead of time to your supervisor, who will pass that request to the chair of the board.