Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) announced on Friday he supports a proposal currently stalled in the House which seeks to regulate intoxicating hemp products similar to the state’s cannabis industry.
The proposal includes new testing requirements for hemp-derived cannabinoid products and rules to prevent product packaging that either mimics other popular brands or could be attractive to children. The legislation would also set an age limit of 21 years old for purchasing intoxicating hemp products and would require such products to be sold only at licensed cannabis dispensaries — the products are currently available in gas stations, smoke shops, and even stand-alone hemp product stores.
“This regulatory gray area has created a loophole that put Illinois consumers of all ages, but particularly children, in danger while an underground market flourished — the exact opposite of what Illinois has done by regulating our cannabis industry. We’re closing that loophole and protecting Illinoisans of all ages by incorporating these products into the regulated and equitable system of dispensaries already in place in the state.” — Gov. Pritzker, in a press release
The Illinois Hemp Business Association said in a statement that while it supports regulations to protect consumers, the proposal is a