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Leaders in Oak Park, Illinois, want to crack down on products made from hemp that contain THC.
Currently, the minimum age for buying marijuana in Illinois is 21. But there is a legal loophole going all the way up to the federal level for products containing THC sourced from hemp rather than marijuana.
THC is the chemical that causes the psychoactive effects of marijuana. It is derived from hemp — which is not scientifically distinct from marijuana, but is legally different in that it must contain 0.3% or less THC content by dry weight, according to Healthline.
The publication noted that hemp is federally legal to grow in the U.S. under the 2018 Farm Bill, while marijuana is not federally legal — though it is legal at the state level in Illinois.
But there are no age restrictions on products that contain delta-8, which the Village of Oak Park said is the most commonly sold unregulated THC product sold within its local limits.
The Village of Oak Park noted that the hemp-derived products sold most commonly within its corporate limits contain delta-8 THC — which is chemically very similar to the delta-9 THC that serves as the primary psychoactive compound in regulated marijuana.
Delta-8 products are often sold in packaging that looks like candy.
The Food and Drug Administration said children who have accidentally ingested such products have had adverse effects such as hallucinations and loss of consciousness.
A code for delta-8 was added to poison control centers on Jan. 1, 2021, and between that date and Feb. 22, 2022, there were 2,360 exposure cases reported to poison control centers nationwide, the village said. Of those 2,360 cases, 82% involved pediatric patients, the village said.
Oak Park village trustees will introduce an ordinance next month that would set the minimum age for purchasing hemp-derived products containing THC to 21.
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