Milwaukee THC debate; homicide prompts renewed call to outlaw products
Milwaukee THC debate; homicide prompts renewed call to outlaw products
A Milwaukee homicide case is fueling a renewed push by a state lawmaker to ban THC products statewide.
MILWAUKEE - A recent Milwaukee homicide involving two friends has sparked a renewed push from a Wisconsin lawmaker to ban THC products statewide.
Fatal shooting
What we know:
The call comes days after police said Jamica Mills told investigators she became paranoid while smoking marijuana with her friend, 26-year-old Ariel Spillner, and fatally shot her.
During an interview with investigators, Mills said she and Spillner smoked weed together and both became paranoid.
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Per the complaint, Mills mentioned that Spillner was supposed to cut her dog's hair with scissors, and at that time, Mills became paranoid that Spillner would stab her.
Mills explained that she went into her bedroom and retrieved her firearm off her bed and went back to the living room, according to the complaint. Mills said Spillner made a "hand motion" and then Mills shot Spillner.
Milwaukee fatal shooting near 39th and Lancaster, woman charged
A Milwaukee woman has been criminally charged in connection to a fatal shooting of her friend, Ariel Spillner, that occurred near 39th and Lancaster on Nov. 4.
At this point, police have not released toxicology reports for either woman, and the criminal complaint does not say whether officers found drugs at the scene.
Push to ban THC
What they're saying:
But on Tuesday, State Rep. Jim Piwowarczyk (R-WI) cited the case on social media to bolster his proposal to outlaw all forms of THC in Wisconsin.
"If they hadn’t made the decision to smoke marijuana, the student would still be alive and the suspect would not be in jail right now," said state Rep. Jim Piwowarczyk. "THC is bad. It is bad for people, it creates a lot of medical issues – anxiety, depression, schizophrenia."
The lawmaker co-sponsored a bill in October that would tighten the state’s rules on hemp and THC products, making all THC products illegal. Right now, businesses can sell products that contain less than 0.3% THC.
"A reaction to fear"
The other side:
Jeremy Smith, CEO of Tab-Ease, a southeastern Wisconsin company that manufactures hemp products, said the reaction is misguided.
"Those public statements are a reaction to fear. And it’s really easy to take a bad situation and take everything in the room – and ban it," Smith said.
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"We need to be very careful about how we structure these regulations so that business owners operating today can safely put out a product that is regulated but also competes with the black market," he added.
Smith said responsible regulation is welcome, but argued blame is being misplaced.
"Millions of people use cannabis every day without shooting their friend," Smith said.
As Milwaukee police continue their investigation, lawmakers remain divided over the future of THC in Wisconsin.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.