Hemp-THC products can continue to be sold in Chicago after the city council on Wednesday failed to override the mayor’s recent veto of a pending ban on the items.
Early this year, the Chicago City Council approved a proposal that would prohibit the sale of all hemp-THC products in the city. Lawmakers, though, added a crucial carveout for the hemp-derived THC drinks that have become popular at some of the city’s restaurants and other venues with tavern licenses. But the carveout did not protect convenience stores under 2,000 square feet.
On Feb. 13, Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed the proposed hemp ordinance, and said he had “significant concerns around the current proposal and the potential negative impacts this prohibition-style ban could have on our city.”
Johnson called the ban “premature,” especially given there is a looming federal ban on hemp-THC products, set to take effect in November, that would supersede all state and local regulations.
“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,” Johnson said in a statement. “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 he feared the ban would unfairly target small businesses, many of which are owned by Black and Brown entrepreneurs.
Johnson called on the city council to work with his administration, public health experts, community leaders and industry stakeholders to draft a “responsible regulatory framework.”
The original ban passed the city council 32-16. The veto override, which required a two-thirds supermajority to pass, failed 26-20.
Alderpeople in support of the ban called the current situation a “wild west” and said children must be protected from hemp-THC products, according to local media reports.
At the federal level, a bipartisan bill was introduced in January that seeks to extend the hemp-THC ban deadline until November 2028.
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