Hemp and cannabis advocates in Illinois demand action in veto session

As the spring legislative session in Illinois comes to a close, cannabis/hemp industry stakeholders across the state are regrouping and planning for a fall veto session. Hemp advocates and supporters in Illinois must unite over the summer to ensure their industry is protected and their business models can continue to thrive.

In case you missed it, two bills passed the state Senate in the spring: one related to regulating and temporarily banning certain hemp products and another omnibus cannabis bill addressing various issues related to the state’s recreational cannabis program. These bills did not pass the state House of Representatives.

Hemp entrepreneurs criticized the Senate’s hemp bill as being too broad and designed to destroy the industry. Certain cannabis companies were criticized for their opposition to the cannabis omnibus bill. Industry groups like the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois and the Cannabis Equity Illinois Coalition offered their feedback and hoped for the best. Tempers flared and negotiations lasted late into the night, but ultimately no fair bill passed the General Assembly before the summer recess.

After the session ended, some members of the cannabis community expressed disappointment that no further progress had been made, while others argued that the solutions were rushed and that a lack of commitment to drafting the bills resulted in opportunities such as hemp beverages being lost.

I founded Purple Circle in 2022 to provide low-cost licensing, compliance and lobbying services to small cannabis businesses and other emerging industries. As a longtime advisor to Illinois cannabis industry players, I have closely followed legislative and regulatory activity.

I had the pleasure of working with Illinois State Representative La Shawn K. Ford in 2023 when he helped a group of independent cannabis transporters pass a bill that was a bailout package. Representative Ford leads the Cannabis Task Force in the Illinois House of Representatives and advocates for small business and criminal justice reforms.

I recently spoke with Representative Ford about this spring session and his plans for the 2024 veto session.

This is what he had to say to me:

Today, after much work and consideration, hemp products are still unregulated in Illinois. Last year, I introduced Illinois House Bill 4161, which would create a regulatory framework for hemp products and establish key requirements such as licensing, testing and labeling. I also introduced HB4193, which would establish a minimum age for purchasing hemp products that would be limited to adults who are 21 years of age or older. This year, I introduced HB5306, which Law on industrial hempwhich are designed to achieve precisely these goals.

I agree with Governor JB Pritzker that a hemp regulatory proposal must be a top priority during the fall veto session. I share his disappointment that we were unable to pass a bill in the spring. Before the veto session, I hope to work with all stakeholders to communicate to lawmakers solutions to the problems facing our communities while allowing the opportunity for this growing industry to thrive in Illinois. We will then finalize a bill that meets the goals of all stakeholders. Anything less could bankrupt hundreds – if not thousands – of Illinois businesses and put Illinoisans out of work while sparking a new war on drugs in Illinois. Our communities have been targeted and destroyed by this failed war, and it is past time to repair the damage rather than create Prohibition 2.0.

Amber Lengacher is the founder and CEO of Purple Circle LLC.

Representative La Shawn K. Ford chairs the Cannabis Task Force in the Illinois House of Representatives.