Cision PR Newswire

CHICAGO, Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based hemp businesses today applauded the thoughtful approach to hemp regulation announced by Chicago Alderman William Hall, Sixth Ward, to improve public safety – particularly for minors – while creating a sustainable revenue stream for the City of Chicago.

Alderman Hall's proposed ordinance would ban underage sales to minors, prohibit harmful synthetics while preserving good manufacturing practices, implement strict consumer safety regulations, and level the playing field for small business owners in the growing hemp industry.     

"Since opening my first hemp cafe in Lincoln Park in 2022, I've built a responsible and thriving business," said Henry Hormozi, owner of the High Crowd Cafe. "Yet I've seriously considered moving operations — and the jobs they create — to Wisconsin due to the uncertain regulatory environment here in Illinois. Alderman Hall's plan strikes the right balance between consumer safety and a fair, supportive environment for businesses like mine that play by the rules."

Added Ray Stout, Illinois Craft Brewers Guild Executive Director: "Rather than adding additional regressive taxes on alcohol, Chicago needs to look into growing new industries and building sustainable new sources of revenue. Chicago is known as the food and drink capital of the world, and enabling hemp beverages and hemp-infused hospitality ensures that Chicago will maintain this position for years to come."

Alderman Hall's proposal for hemp regulation in Chicago supports a safe and viable hemp industry by:

• Safeguarding minors through a minimum customer age of 21.
• Enforcing strict packaging, labeling, dosing, testing, chain-of-custody, and retail security, access, and record-keeping requirements.
• Prohibiting harmful synthetic products that don't naturally occur in the hemp plant.
• Providing sustainable ways to generate tax revenue for needed community resources, especially at a time when Chicagoans have been feeling the squeeze from a higher cost of living.
• Protecting innovation and promoting retail equity by providing a means for individuals not backed by multimillion-dollar investments to enter a lawful and profitable industry — one that's projected to grow to over $1 billion in sales in Chicago alone by 2029.
• Supporting the local business community by creating an environment where responsible businesses that prioritize consumer safety and high-quality products can continue investing and creating more jobs within the community.

About the Illinois Hemp Business Association
The Illinois Hemp Business Association (IHBA) represents hundreds of independent and minority-owned hemp businesses across Illinois, advocating for fair regulations that protect consumer safety, encourage growth, and foster an equitable industry for all. For more information, visit ILhemp.org.

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SOURCE Illinois Hemp Business Association