Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has vetoed a proposed ordinance that would have limited where hemp-derived THC products could be sold in the city.
Last month, the Chicago City Council passed a new rule that would have required a cannabis retail license to sell hemp products. It did include some caveats from beverages, pet products and topical solutions.
But Johnson used his veto power due to concerns about the potential negative impacts a "prohibition-style ban" could have on the city.
“I want to be clear: I share the concerns raised about intoxicating hemp products, especially when it comes to packaging that may appeal to children or sales practices that lack proper safeguards. We must have strict age verification, responsible labeling, and clear enforcement standards. There must be zero tolerance for businesses that market or sell these products to minors," he said in a statement. “However, the ordinance passed by the City Council would effectively function as a broad ban on many small hemp retailers by limiting sales to licensed cannabis dispensaries and certain liquor-licensed establishments."
Johnson added that the ordinance would hurt small businesses who have been following the law and deserve to be a part of the conversation.
“Many of these businesses are Black- and brown-owned. Many are operated by entrepreneurs who were shut out of the expensive cannabis licensing process and turned to federally legal hemp as a pathway into the marketplace. We cannot claim to support equitable economic development while advancing policies that concentrate the market in the hands of a few large entities," he said.
