Chicago aldermen advance ordinance to restrict hemp sales

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A Chicago city council committee has advanced an ordinance that would ban most hemp sales in the city.

Chicago 13th Ward Alderman Marty Quinn’s proposal prohibits the sale of any hemp-derived cannabinoid product across the city, except by cannabis business establishments.

Quinn spoke to the city council’s Committee on License and Consumer Protection Wednesday and addressed revenue concerns from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office.

“We all know the city needs revenue sources, but are we really going to prop up a shady industry that sells dangerous and unregulated products to children?” Quinn asked.

Chicago 23rd Ward Alderman Silvana Tabares urged her colleagues to support the proposal. Tabares said her ward is one of seven in the city that already implemented a ban on intoxicating THC products.

“Passing that measure has resulted in a reduction in the number of poisoned children and 911 calls,” Tabares said.

Tabares said Chicago needs to act with a federal ban taking effect next November.

Legislation to end the partial shutdown of the federal government last month included a provision to restrict hemp products containing THC, effective November 2026.

The Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association opposed the federal ban and offered to work with the city council to find different solutions in Chicago.

IHAA Board President Craig Katz is hopeful that federal lawmakers will modify their legislation.

“I think that if they are reading the tea leaves, then they should recognize the fact that a vast majority of voters in the United States want to have access to these products,” Katz told The Center Square.

Katz said the provision approved by Congress would essentially kill the hemp industry by banning 95% of its products.

The Chicago City Council License and Consumer Protection Committee approved Quinn’s ordinance by a vote of 10-6 on Wednesday, but the measure faces an uncertain future before the full city council and the mayor.

Johnson’s chief of policy, Jung Yoon, said Tuesday that the administration does not support a citywide ban on hemp products.

“This is a big industry that many business owners, breweries rely on,” Yoon said.

Yoon said the mayor’s team pulled a regulatory and taxing proposal out of the city budget proposal when Congress moved to ban most hemp products.

“But the federal government even acknowledges it needs a year to figure out exactly how it’s going to close this loophole,” Yoon added.