Wisconsin Politicians Follow Developments in Pot-Legalizing States

Change could be spreading ...

Central Wisconsin political observers say the vote to legalize marijuana in two states could eventually affect Wisconsin.

Lawmakers will be watching to see what happens in Colorado and Washington, where residents voted to lift long-standing bans on recreational marijuana use, said state Rep. Scott Krug, R-Rome, who represents Wisconsin's 72nd Assembly District, and changes in this state might be possible.

Krug, who previously served as the Wood County Drug Court administrator, said Wisconsin should put more of a focus on drug addiction treatment than the current legal system does.

"We spend too much time punishing people by putting them behind bars and throwing away the keys," Krug said.