Act now, Illinois lawmakers, to keep intoxicating hemp products out of kids' reach
Gov. JB Pritzker and leaders in the Illinois General Assembly have announced their support for House Bill 4293, a bill regulating the sale of intoxicating hemp products across the state.
I have fought to keep the Highland Park community, particularly our children, safe from unregulated and deceptively advertised products. But this is a fight no single town, village or city can win on their own.
This is a problem that persists in communities across Illinois, and protecting our children will require a coordinated statewide effort. I’m grateful the governor has stepped up on this matter, and I support the measure in the strongest terms possible.
Many local municipalities have passed legislation restricting the sale of these intoxicating hemp products, including prohibiting sales, raising the legal age of possession and increasing licensing requirements.
However, these measures have limited efficacy when consumers can simply drive 15 minutes to the next town and purchase these products with none of the same restrictions and regulations.
To ensure all our children are protected and our communities are in concert, the General Assembly must act and pass comprehensive statewide legislation.
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Across Illinois, there have been stories of teenagers and even younger children who have been hospitalized after consuming intoxicating hemp products. These products contain incredibly high doses of THC but are sold at gas stations and convenience stores with little oversight. Often, they are marketed to look nearly identical to popular snack brands, encouraging buyers to consume a whole pack despite the massive dose of unregulated THC each product contains.
That’s why in addition to raising the minimum age for purchasing these products to 21, this legislation bans deceptive marketing or marketing designed to target children. Our children are not a cash source for the hemp industry, and we reject underhanded and manipulative marketing tactics designed to draw minors in to buy a product they can’t understand or predict the effects of.
Cannabis legalization has been a massive economic driver for Illinois, and it has relieved a generations-long burden on communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs.
But legalization was possible because it went hand in hand with regulation, and intoxicating hemp products exploit a loophole to circumvent those requirements.
Those who value these products will continue to have an avenue to purchase them — the same avenue as consumers of legal cannabis across the state under the state’s existing marketplace regulations on safe testing and dosage requirements for dispensary sales.
We cannot ignore the danger these products present to our children any longer. Small businesses are the backbone of municipalities like ours, but businesses that rely on deceptive practices and prey on our youth are not making our communities stronger.
I am supported in this effort by:
- Village of Roselle Mayor David Pileski
- Village of Minooka Mayor Ric Offerman
- Village of Elburn Mayor Jeffrey Walter
- City of Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin
- Village of Sleepy Hollow President Stephan Pickett
- Village of Genoa Mayor Jonathon Brust
- Buffalo Grove Village President Eric Smith
- Waukegan Mayor Ann B. Taylor
Together, we urge members of the Illinois House to pass HB 4293 during the upcoming lame-duck legislative session.
Mayor Nancy Rotering, Highland Park
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