Chicago, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – How should hemp be regulated in Illinois?

The first in a series on that topic was held Thursday in Chicago.

State Representative LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago) says before regulations can be made, you have to make sure children are safeguarded, while protecting the rights of adults.

“The goal of this discussion is to define the challenges facing the industry, both nationally and at the state level, and discuss legislative solutions, to ensure that children and minors are protected, while also enabling adult consumers to access alternative health solutions that they need,” said Ford.

The 2018 Farm Bill rescheduled hemp as a substance, so much discussion was had on what age to first allow sales to — 18 or 21, said to be political in nature either way.

“The age gating issue is one of the primary issues, and that is to keep these products available only to people who are 21 years or older, with the possible exception of military veterans between the ages of 18 and 21,” said Craig Katz, Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association.

Katz said municipalities are starting to look into their own regulations on hemp, because they have not received much state or federal guidelines until now — Chicago, for instance.

But, there might be another reason for regulations.

“We have an alderman in Chicago who is planning on presenting an ordinance next week; it’s an ordinance that will regulate the industry in the city,” said Katz.  “Another issue that many municipalities and even states find attractive is the fact that there’s an taxation aspect to any ordinance or regulation that gets passed.”

Hemp comes from the cannabis plant, and is not as strong as cannabis itself.  Cannabis remains itself illegal federally, but is allowed in Illinois.  Hemp, as of 2018, was seen as a substance that ended up with a loophole in federal law when the 2018 Farm Bill was passed.