A key City Council panel on Wednesday advanced a proposal to ban intoxicating hemp products in Chicago long before a federal ban takes effect late next year.
Hemp beverages, gummies, edibles and other goods with psychoactive compounds nearly identical to those in marijuana would be outlawed across the city under 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn’s proposed ordinance. It’s staunchly opposed by Mayor Brandon Johnson and industry leaders who warn of devastating revenue loss and job cuts.
The measure passed the Committee on License and Consumer Protection by a 10-6 vote, giving the full City Council a shot at “banning these shady operations,” Quinn said.
“Are we really going to prop up a shady industry that sells dangerous and unregulated products to children?” Quinn said during a hearing packed with opponents from the hemp industry, who highlighted the economic impact of Illinois’ billion-dollar hemp market.
“Most of us in this industry are good-faith businesses,” said Jennifer Weiss, who added most of the hemp-derived products in her Roscoe Village store, even non-intoxicating items, would be outlawed. ”We genuinely want to protect the public and kids from dangerous products, just like you do.”
Hemp products have soared in popularity since a loophole in 2018 federal legislation allowed for THC to be extracted from hemp and concentrated into an array of products that make people feel high.
State lawmakers butted heads for years over how to regulate the booming industry. But a late provision tacked onto the federal spending bill that reopened the government last month promises to close the 2018 hemp THC loophole by November 2026, unless Congress takes additional action.
Quinn’s citywide ban would take effect within 10 days of its potential passage, penalizing businesses — except cannabis dispensaries — up to $5,000 for selling hemp products, which have already been outlawed in seven wards including Quinn’s.
Ivan Capifali, Johnson’s commissioner of the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, said a full ban “would be nearly impossible to enforce” and threaten “hundreds, if not thousands of jobs.”
“The proposed ban would disrupt a source of revenue for many of Chicago’s small businesses, and it would eliminate a market that numerous establishments have relied on to support their post-pandemic recoveries,” said Capifali, who asked for more time to work out a regulatory framework.
Industry leaders have long called for setting an age minimum of 21 to buy hemp products while implementing testing and labeling standards.
While hemp products have sometimes been marketed to children with lookalike packaging to popular candy, hemp beverages have soared in popularity at bars, restaurants and breweries.
“The federal government is looking to close this loophole, and until then, I’m in favor of closing all the loopholes here in the city of Chicago,” Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) said before voting for the ordinance.
Ald. Nicholas Sposato (38th), one of the council’s most conservative members, said he came into the committee hearing undecided before voting against the ban.
“I believe the legit people are here. I don’t dispute there’s bad actors out there… I wish we could pause this,” he said.
Quinn said he was still talking with fellow Council members about potential tweaks to his proposal. It wasn’t clear when it might come before the City Council, which next meets Dec. 10.