Aldermen have banned hemp sales around Midway Airport, impacting local smoke shops and igniting a debate on regulation.
Chicago: So, the city council just made a big move. They’ve banned hemp sales around Midway Airport. This decision came from two aldermen, Marty Quinn and Silvana Tabares, who are really concerned about the unregulated hemp market.
The ban got unanimous support from the council and will kick in 90 days from now. It mainly affects smoke shops in their wards, which could struggle to stay open without selling hemp products. These shops have been relying on THC extracts, and now they’re facing tough times.
Quinn is worried about kids getting their hands on edibles. He’s sending a clear message: if you’re in the business of selling these products, your license won’t be renewed. That’s a big deal for shop owners like Tom Race, who’s already feeling the pressure.
Race runs two smoke shops and is trying to figure out how to keep them afloat. He’s done everything by the book, but now he’s left in a tough spot. He’s invested a lot, and starting over isn’t what he had in mind.
Interestingly, Ald. William Hall isn’t on board with this ban. He’s planning to meet with smoke shop owners to hear their side. Hall believes the city could actually make a lot of money by regulating hemp instead of banning it outright.
He’s pushing for a new ordinance that would set a minimum age for buying hemp products. Hall thinks this could bring in millions in tax revenue, which sounds pretty appealing to the city.
Meanwhile, there’s a bigger conversation happening at the state level about how to regulate hemp. A recent bill to ban intoxicating hemp products didn’t pass, and it seems like there’s still a lot of disagreement among lawmakers.
Some business owners are frustrated, feeling like they’re being unfairly targeted. They argue that they’ve built their businesses on a legal loophole and shouldn’t be punished for it. It’s a complicated situation, and it looks like the debate over hemp regulation is far from over.
