Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) has pardoned 29 more people—many of whom were nonviolent drug offenders. Wisconsin hasn’t yet legalized cannabis, but the governor has made efforts to fix the harms done by the War on Drugs.

“A pardon can be a powerful message for individuals who have worked hard to establish themselves as contributing members of their community—one that recognizes that people are more than their past and acknowledges their efforts to build a brighter future,” said Gov. Evers. “I am proud to grant these 29 pardons today and the more than 300 pardons I’ve been able to grant since 2019. Reaching this milestone is a tremendous feat, and we’ll work to continue this important process.”

Eric Marsch, from the Wisconsin Cannabis Activist Network, told Cannabis News Box that he’s happy about these pardons. He said he hopes the governor issues even more pardons. He said there are still thousands of people who deserve to be pardoned in the state.

“I’m very happy that Evers has been vocal in his support for marijuana legalization and has attempted to put legalization in the budget,” Marsch said. “He has come a long way since he was elected. I do wish Evers would push the issue a bit harder and would use his pardon power to undo a lot of the harm of prohibition, but ultimately it’s the legislative leaders in the GOP who are blocking progress on this issue. Evers would do his part by signing a legalization bill, the legislature needs to do their part.”

The Republican Party controls the state’s legislature, so Marsch said the state won’t be able to legalize without their support. One assemblywoman has come out in support of legalization, but the leadership of the party is staunchly against it.

“The success of legalization will largely depend on whether we get fair legislative district maps drawn for 2022-2030 that will make the legislature actually reflect the will of the people,” Marsch said. “Given the Governor’s all-but-certain veto of the GOP-passed gerrymandered maps, this will ultimately be determined by the courts over the next year. If you want to know whether legalization in Wisconsin will take 4 years or 10 years, the redistricting case is what you’ll really want to watch.”

Around 60 percent of Wisconsin residents support legalizing cannabis, but Marsch said that hasn’t caused the state’s Republican Party to get behind it. Nearby states like Illinois legalizing has increased the pressure, but it’s still seems unlikely Wisconsin will legalize anytime soon.