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.
“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 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.
Hemp comes from the cannabis plant, which 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.