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Past time for a state fix

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Illinois

* Mr. Tourjman is right that people will just drive down the street to the next town to buy the very same products. And many of the dangers are likely over-stated. But maybe action like this will spur the General Assembly to properly regulate and tax the sale of these products…

Citing public safety, Rolling Meadows officials banned the retail sale of hemp-derived THC, kratom and tianeptine products within city limits and urged neighboring towns and state legislators to take similar action.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved the products for use, and city officials say they exist in a legal gray area with unclear rules that make enforcement difficult.

“The evidence is clear that these substances can cause serious side effects, and there is inadequate information to conclude their usefulness as a treatment for any illness or condition,” Mayor Lara Sanoica said. “As a (city) council, we want to err on the side of caution when it comes to the safety of our residents.” […]

“This will effectively shut me down, and it’s just going to drive people 30 seconds down the street,” said Michael Tourjman, owner of 24/7 Pantry Smoke Shop at 4025 Algonquin Road.

* More…

Another Rolling Meadows store owner echoed Sikora’s point, explaining that kratom is less addictive than other drugs and helps people addicted to narcotics. She also pointed out that the ordinance would ban hemp-derived THC while allowing CBD to remain legal. “Cannabis is federally illegal while hemp THC is legal,” she said.

And they should do something about sweepstakes machines while they’re at it.

The legislative inaction on these grey market products is just odd. It’s never smelled right.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:09 pm

Comments

Hemp THC products aren’t taxed at the same rate as cannabis and the state doesn’t track the sales. In September cannabis revenue dipped for the first time and the state lost out on tax dollars. Wonder if hemp sales were a cause.

Comment by Revenue Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:17 pm
Agreed on sweepstakes machines. Way unregulated. Way sketchy.

Hemp, THC, and CBD, ought to be more clearly regulated, but this whole industry plays the whack-a-mole game with just going to a different variation of synthetic cannabinoid.

Comment by Just Another Anon Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:22 pm
Well the argument that kratom is less addictive than other drugs won me over /S

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:30 pm
===cannabis revenue dipped for the first time===

My quick reading at the time didn’t see a drop in sales. Prices are lower, though.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:32 pm
“It’s never smelled right”…
Irony for the win.

Comment by Central IL Centrist Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:46 pm
The senate has passed bills to regulate both hemp and sweepstakes games by near unanimous margins. Neither bill has been called in the House. “It’s never smelled right” indeed.

Comment by TNR Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:49 pm
===Neither bill has been called in the House===

There are some very good reasons for that.

This ain’t just about one chamber.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:56 pm
==wonder if hemp sales were a cause==

Certainly seems to be the case: https://www.greenmarketreport.com/illinois-officials-call-out-illicit-sales-thca-for-eating-into-legal-cannabis-sales/

Comment by Ex Journo Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 12:58 pm
There have been several bills introduced to tax and regulate and license hemp products but big cannabis refuses to negotiate and wants all the profits.

Comment by Hemp Guy Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 1:17 pm
=Prices are lower, though.=

That is exactly it Rich. Take a look at Michigan as an example of how the market and pricing changes as more dispensaries open. High quality cannabis (pun intended) is down at 1980’s price levels in Michigan at times. They even have sales like Kohl’s. It is simply the good old fashioned market economy at work. Adam Smith would be happy.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 1:26 pm
@Ex Journo, I’m not sure about your reference and stated point that hemp is the cause of the revenue loss. It might be a contributing factor, but I’d think being able to buy a $200/oz vs.$330/oz for the same product is a much bigger “cause.”
Making the cannabis industry and the state look at their model of taxation and pricing could go a lot further in tamping down the Hemp market for products. Also, why not regulate the hemp products? Add age restrictions? THC content regulations?

Comment by Frida's Boss Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 1:34 pm
==Certainly seems to be the case===

Pretty sure the ISP is only looking at it from one specific angle.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 1:34 pm
- Well the argument that kratom is less addictive than other drugs won me over /S -

A close friend of mine successfully kicked opiates with the help of kratom. Regulate and tax it for sure, but banning it is foolish.

Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 1:38 pm
== tianeptine products==

A bill to regulate this passed committee, but never got called on the floor in the House.

Sen. Durbin also has a federal bill on the topic, previously reported here.

Comment by Google Is Your Friend Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 1:39 pm
Let’s be clear, this ain’t about safety or “the children” or heck even new sources of revenue. Plain and simple, this is about the Big Cannabis Corporations wanting to muscle out ALL competition. They already got first dibs on licenses, did a horrbile rollout of “social equity” licenses and other stuff for people affected by War on Drugs and now this! I hope they don’t bow down to Big Cannabis!

Comment by hmmm Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 1:44 pm
A bunch of hemp industry folks have been pushing for strict hemp licensing, regulation and taxation for years. Not because they are wonderful people, but because they know it’s better than being banned out of business. What’s been proposed protects consumers and would even level the competitive playing field with cannabis. There could have been a Hemp 21 law for years, but Big Cannabis would rather use the “kids are getting hurt” narrative to push a ban, rather than solving that problem. Instead, the Senate jammed a poorly written bill (that would ban CBD hand lotion and CBD for pets, though that may not be the intent) down the House’s throat at the last minute. Perhaps I’m smoking too much hopium, but I hope the House rejects the Senate bill (which should be known as the Big Cannabis Monopoly Protection Act) and pushes for fair negotiations!

Comment by Smoking Hopium Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 2:37 pm
===The senate has passed bills to regulate both hemp and sweepstakes games by near unanimous margins.===

Lou Lang created the sweepstakes games morass in 2013 and nobody has had the backbone to fix it even though ligislators and advisors quickly realized it was a problem.

Comment by Leslie K Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 3:04 pm
=== kratom is less addictive than other drugs and helps people addicted to narcotics ==

Perhaps, but primarily for those self-administering therapy rather than those seeking medical help. Also, I would prefer to see data on successful treatments of narcotic addictions using Keaton.

Comment by H-W Thursday, Oct 24, 24 @ 3:20 pm