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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Gov. JB Pritzker is demanding the Illinois House pass a plan to crack down on the sale of intoxicating hemp products during lame duck session next month.
State lawmakers know there is a growing number of stores with unregulated THC products putting consumers at risk. Many of the Delta-8 products look like popular candy, chips and cookies.
“You can see for yourselves,” Pritzker said Friday while holding a bag of Nerds in one hand and a Delta-8 product in the other hand. “Without careful examination, you can hardly tell the difference between these two. They can be sold anywhere, at gas stations and at corner stores, and they have no age requirement.”
Over 9,000 cases of Delta-8 poisoning have been reported nationwide, and nearly half of those cases involved children. Three elementary school-aged children in Chicago were hospitalized just last week after becoming severely ill from eating gummy edibles.
“Youth in our clinic who have used these products have let us know that they feel a less relaxing high that seems to come on pretty quickly,” said Dr. Maria Rahmandar, medical director of the substance use and prevention program at Lurie Children’s Hospital. “They feel more forgetful and scattered. They also report headaches during and after use, and they say that these products seem to be easier to obtain than traditional cannabis products.”
The legislation could ban packaging designed to look like food products and prohibit marketing targeted to children. It would also impose the same taxing and testing requirements the state has in place for recreational marijuana. Intoxicating hemp would only be allowed to be sold to customers 21 and older at licensed dispensaries.
“We worked diligently to put forth a bill that protects consumers, helps our cannabis industry flourish, keeps the promise to our social equity communities and doesn’t stifle reputable hemp business establishments,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood).
The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois applauded Pritzker’s call for action Friday afternoon. CBAI Executive Director Tiffany Chappell Ingram urged lawmakers to tax swift action as Illinois is already falling behind other states that have adopted meaningful regulations.
“We look forward to working collaboratively to put in place a measure that will empower consumers, protect public health and health ensure our state’s legal cannabis industry can reach its full potential,” Chappell Ingram said.
Although, the Illinois Hemp Business Association argued the proposal is a full-scale ban on hemp products. The organization said the legislation could wipe out nearly all federally legal hemp-derived products, including CBD lotions, shampoos, and pet care items.
“The legislation would benefit large marijuana corporations at the expense of Illinois residents and the legitimate small businesses that follow federal law, yet does nothing to curb online sales of hemp products to minors from out-of-state companies,” IHBA stated. “We agree with the calls to enhance consumer safety, but we must first work together to craft thoughtful, targeted regulations that deliver real public health and economic solutions for our state.”
House Bill 4293 passed out of the Senate with strong bipartisan support in May. The House could vote on the bill during the first week of January.
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”}]] Gov. JB Pritzker is demanding the Illinois House pass a plan to crack down on the sale of intoxicating hemp products during lame duck session next month. Read More
