Politics

Key City Council Panel Advances Ban on Intoxicating Hemp in Chicago

A key Chicago City Council committee on Wednesday advanced a proposal to ban the sale of intoxicating hemp products throughout the city even after dozens of business owners pleaded with members not to force their stores to close.

The License and Consumer Protection Committee voted 10-6 to send the measure to the full City Council for a final vote on Dec. 10. The proposal faces an uncertain fate and the opposition of Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Johnson’s original proposed spending plan for 2026 would have regulated intoxicating hemp products in an effort backed by Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige, who has urged the City Council to do more to protect Chicago children and teens from the products.

That measure would have banned the sale of delta-8 and other hemp-derived snacks, drinks and products to those younger than 21 years old while prohibiting the sale of all products designed “to resemble a branded candy, cookie, chip or other snack food” in an attempt to stop the items from attracting the attention of children looking for a treat.

The measure would have also imposed a $2 per item tax that officials projected would add $10 million to the city’s coffers.

That effort fell apart after the federal government banned the sale of products that contain less than 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, the main intoxicating compound in cannabis better known as THC, starting in November 2026.

That left efforts by city officials to regulate intoxicating hemp products in limbo, even as Ige said they could pose a threat to Chicagoans of all ages.

Ald. Marty Quinn (13th Ward), who is one of seven alderpeople to pass a measure banning the sale of intoxicating hemp products in their wards, said the city should immediately ban the sale of all products containing hemp outside licensed cannabis dispensaries.

In all, bans on the sale of these products are in place in seven wards, and similar bans are pending in three other wards.

Before the vote, dozens of business owners pleaded with alderpeople to delay any action that could force them to shutter their businesses and pledged to protect children and teens.

Johnson does not support a citywide ban, Jung Yoon, the mayor’s policy chief, told reporters Tuesday.

Ivan Capifali, the commissioner of the Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, told alderpeople that the ban as proposed would be impossible to enforce, especially because it includes a ban on the sale of all products that contain hemp, including those sold at large retailers like Walgreens and Target.

At the same time, it would threaten 200 businesses, including breweries that sell intoxicating hemp drinks alongside alcoholic beverages, Capifali said.

If approved, the measure would create a “black market” of unregulated intoxicating hemp products and “inflict economic harm” on businesses that pose no threat to Chicagoans, Capifali said.

That could prompt the elimination of 10,000 jobs and blow a $10 million hole in the city’s budget by reducing sales tax revenue, Capifali said.

Although Capifali urged members of the City Council to advance a separate measure to ban the sale of intoxicating hemp products to those younger than 21, committee members expressed skepticism that a smaller ban would be effective.

Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]

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