Chicago City Council votes to ban sale of some hemp products
Chicago City Council votes to ban sale of some hemp products
The Chicago City Council voted on Wednesday to ban the sale of certain hemp products, with some modifications made to the original proposal.
CHICAGO - The Chicago City Council voted Wednesday to ban the sale of some hemp products, with some changes made to the original proposal.
The idea of a ban on hemp-derived products was debated hotly among alders and business owners with proponents arguing it was necessary to protect children, but others worried it would especially hurt small mom and pop shops.
The revised version of the ordinance passed with a 32-16 vote.
Mayor Brandon Johnson did not take a clear position on whether he would sign or veto the ordinance, but expressed skepticism saying he and others had "serious concerns" about it.
What we know:
Ald. Marty Quinn (13th Ward) sponsored the proposal that originally would have banned all hemp products, but tweaked the plan to garner more support from other alders.
"The stories I've heard about this product getting in the wrong hands, is something that we can't ignore," Quinn said.
He added that he worked to find a compromise on his proposal by contacting each of the other 49 alders personally. Several alders, including those who ultimately voted against the ban, praised Quinn for his efforts to bring them into the discussion.
He said he made multiple changes, including allowing for hemp beverages and additives. Also included were carve outs for the hemp topical industry and products intended for animals.
The effective date for the ban was also changes to April 1 of this year.
Effective immediately is a ban on the sale of hemp products to anyone under the age of 21.
The vote comes before a federal ban goes into effect this November.
Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd Ward) and Quinn pushed for the ordinance after banning hemp sales in their respective wards last year. Supporters argued the aim is to prevent "bad actors" from endangering residents, especially kids.
The other side:
Still, local business owners said such a ban would affect their livelihoods, especially small stores that sell hemp products. They also argued that many customers rely on hemp products to treat medical conditions.
Alders like Maria Hadden (49th Ward) said she and others use hemp products for medicinal purposes.
"It hurts me to see us cutting off an avenue for healing, for health, but also for small business that are really the backbone of our local economy," Hadden said.
Skeptics like the mayor also argued that bans on such products would only create a black market and that legalization allows local governments to regulate sales and keep them out of the hands of children.
The Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association (ILHAA), which represents the legal hemp industry, called the vote on the ordinance "haphazard" and argued it "does little to safeguard small children."
"The legislation passed today was written hastily and without any input from the hemp industry who is actually affected by the legislation. It does little to protect children but does allow bigger profits for big beverages, big cannabis and the restaurant industry," said Craig Katz of the ILHAA, in a statement.