THREADING THAT NEEDLE.

JASON STEIN, THANKS VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WISCONSIN IS SURROUNDED BY LEGAL MARIJUANA WITH BOTH ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN LEGALIZING THE RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

IN MINNESOTA, VOTING TO DO THE SAME EARLIER THIS YEAR.

IT'S ESTIMATED MORE THAN HALF OF ALL STATE RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 21 LIVE WITHIN A 75-MINUTE DRIVE TO A LEGAL DISPENSARY, AND THAT NUMBER WILL ONLY INCREASE.

ZAC SCHULTZ EXPLAINS HOW THIS LEAFS WISCONSIN RESIDENTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CAUGHT IN A GRAY AREA WHERE A PRODUCT PURCHASED LEGALLY IN ANOTHER STATE BECOMES ILLEGAL THE MINUTE IT CROSSES THE BORDER.

>> THE HIGHWAY 41 BRIDGE TRAVELS OVER THE MENOMONEE RIVER, CARRYING YOU OUT OF WISCONSIN AND INTO MICHIGAN'S UPPER PENINSULA.

TAKE THE FIRST RIGHT AND YOU'RE KNOT PARKING LOT OF A RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY.

IF YOU GO THROUGH THE DRIVE-THROUGH, YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO EXIT YOUR CAR TO PURCHASE LEGAL MARIJUANA PRODUCTS AND START THE DRIVE BACK ACROSS THE RIVER.

>> YEAH.

JUST A REALLY OPTIMAL LOCATION.

>> LINDSEY MARWICK IS FROM HIGHER LOVE.

SHE SAYS MOST OF THEIR CUSTOMERS ARE FROM OVER THE BORDER.

>> A GOOD MAJORITY ARE FOLKS FROM WISCONSIN.

>> THEY'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING OUT OF A TRAILER BUT ARE BUILDING A PERMANENT LOCATION NEXTDOOR.

>> THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING TO US FROM WISCONSIN, WE GET TO BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE HIGHER LOVE FAMILY AND WE'RE JUST HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES AND BE NICE AND CLOSE TO THE BORDER FOR CONVENIENCE.

>> BUT WHEN THEIR CUSTOMERS CROSS THE BRIDGE INTO MARINETTE, THE PRODUCT THEY JUST BOUGHT IS ILLEGAL.

>> IT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT THAT CARS THAT ARE STOPPED HAVE, YOU KNOW, MARIJUANA PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE TRAVELING THROUGH THE AREA, NOT NECESSARILY FROM THE AREA.

>> Reporter: CALLAHAN IS A NARCOTICS INVESTIGATOR FROM THE MARINETTE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

>> IN MY OFFICE, WE ARE CHARGING WITH THE ENFORCING THE LAWS.

MARIJUANA IS AGAINST THE LAW IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN IN ANY FORM.

>> Reporter: DeSHEA MORROW IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

TOGETHER, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HANDLE THE SURGE OF WISCONSIN RESIDENTS TAKING DAY TRIPS FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

>> THAT 141 CORRIDOR, WITHIN THE DRUG UNIT, KIND OF HAD THE NICKNAME OF THE GREEN HIGHWAY, THE GREEN CORRIDOR, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS VERY WELL KNOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW SINCE THOSE DISPENSARIES OPENS UP, THAT THAT WAS THE QUICKEST ACCESS POINT FOR LEGAL WEED FOR CLOSE TO NEAR A MILLION PEOPLE, RESIDENTS OF WISCONSIN.

>> SO FAR, MOST PEOPLE PULLED OVER WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF DISPENSARY MARIJUANA HAVE AVOIDED ARREST.

INSTEAD, THEY LIKELY RECEIVE A CITATION AND THE CONFISCATION OF THEIR PURCHASE.

>> THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A TRIAGE APPROACH, THERE HAS TO BE IN THIS LINE OF WORK.

AND SO, YES, IF IT'S SMALL AMOUNT OF WEED, THAT MAY BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN A SMALL AMOUNT OF HEROIN.

>> ON APRIL 20th OF THIS YEAR, A MARINETTE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY PULLED OVER A CAR WITH TWO MEN AND SEIZED A BACKPACK FULL OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

WHEN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DISPLAYED THE BUST ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE, THE POST ATTRACTED THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS, RANGING FROM RIDICULE TO SUPPORT.

>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALLY REALIZE THAT THAT'S NOT EVERYTHING THAT WE -- WE HAD FOUR OR FIVE OTHER INTERDICTION STOPS THAT DAY.

THAT WAS JUST ONE TRAFFIC STOP.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF FEEDBACK, BUT WE WERE REVERT TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.

>> THEY RECEIVED CITATIONS FOR $263.

THEY HAD TRAVELED FROM OSHKOSH, MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILES AWAY.

IN MANY WAYS, IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT SOME OF THE DISPENSARY START ADVERTISING ON BILLBOARDS AS FAR SOUTH AS FOND du LAC.

>> THE MORE WE CAN ADVERTISE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE, THE BETTER.

>> LINDSAY MARWICK SAYS THE RISK BELONGS TO THE CUSTOMER AND IT'S A RISK THEY'RE CLEARLY WILLING TO TAKE.

>> THEY KNOW THAT WHERE THEY'RE HEADING, IT'S NOT LEGAL.

NO ONE WANTS TO BE IN THAT LIGHT SO WE TRY TO EXPRESS TO OUR CUSTOMERS WHAT TO PAY ATTENTION TO IF THEY ARE CROSSING THAT LINE.

>> IT'S CLEAR THAT THE MOST DANGEROUS THING ABOUT CANNABIS IN WISCONSIN IS THAT IT IS ILLEGAL.

>> DEMOCRAT FROM WISCONSIN.

>> PROHIBITION DID NOT WORK IN WISCONSIN AND WHEN IT CAME TO ALCOHOL OR MARGARINE.

IT'S NOT WORKING WHEN IT COMES TO CANNABIS.

>> SHE'S BEEN TRAVELING THE STATE ON HER AGGREGA GRASSROOTSR PROMOTING HER BILL TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IN WISCONSIN.

>> IT IS CLEAR, NEARLY SEVEN OUR 10 PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE ADULT USE POLICY FOR CANNABIS WITH A MEDICINAL COMPONENT.

>> HOWEVER, SENATOR AGARD DOESN'T HAVE ANY SUPPORT FOR HERE BILL, WHICH MEANS IT MAY NOT GET A HEARING, MUCH LESS A VOTE ON THE FLOOR.

>> FOR THE LAST THREE SESSIONS, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A BILL AROUND MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND IT'S SLOWLY GAINING.

MEME ARE MUCH MORE OPEN TO IT.

>> SENATOR FELZDOWSKI'S PROPOSAL WOULD LEGALIZE MEDICINAL MARIJUANA, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A PATIENT TO SEE A DOCTOR TO GET A PRESCRIPTION.

AS A CANCER SURVIVOR, SHE WANTS TO SEE MORE OPTIONS FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT.

>> I'M TRYING TO HELP PATIENTS.

I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD VERY DEBILITATING MEDICAL CONDITIONS, ARE VETERANS, THE P.T.S.D., M.S., AND I HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT OPIOIDS DO TO YOU AS A SIDE EFFECT.

>> Reporter: BUT SHE'S FACING STIFF OPPOSITION FROM HER REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, WHO SEE MEDICAL MARIJUANA AS A GATEWAY TO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

SHE SAYS AGARD'S BILL DOESN'T HELP.

>> AND MELISSA IS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THIS AND SHE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, BUT IT DOES MAKE IT HARDER IN OUR CAUCUS, AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR CAUCUS MEMBERS ARE LOOKING AT THIS GOING, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO BE ILLINOIS, WE DON'T WANT TO BE MINNESOTA.

>> AGARD SAYS FELZKOWSKI'S LAST VERSION OF THE BILL DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

>> THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.

SENATOR FELZKOWSKI HAS BEEN OUTSPOKEN FOR HER SUPPORT OF MEDICINAL MARIJUANA.

>> THE CARS STILL HEAD NORTH ON HIGHWAY 41 AND MORROW SAYS THEY'D APPRECIATE SOME CLARITY FROM MADISON.

>> THEY NEED TO LOOK AT LAWS THAT ARE GOING TO PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALSO TO SEND A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE TO PEOPLE IN THE STATE, BUT ALSO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GIVE US BRIGHT LINES ON HOW TO ENFORCE THIS.

I DON'T REALLY HAVE ADVICE FOR THEM.

I FEEL BAD THAT THEY'RE PUT IN THIS POSITION.

I THINK THEY'RE IN AN UNTENABLE SITUATION WHERE WHAT IS THE WIN HERE.

I MEAN, THERE REALLY IS NO WIN HERE.

>> FELZKOWSKI SAYS SHE'S HOPING TO GET A PRELIMINARY HEARING ON HER PUBLIC HEARING ON HER BILL IT AND MAYBE A VOTE ON THE FLOOR, BUT FINAL PASSAGE MAY BE A LONG WAYS OFF.

>> IT'S A HEAVY LIFT THIS SESSION, BUT I'M OPTIMISTIC.

I'M OPTIMISTIC.

>> REPORTING FROM MARINETTE, I'M