Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoing Chicago City Council ordinance to ban sale of most intoxicating hemp products

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced on Friday that he is vetoing a Chicago City Council ordinance banning the sale of most intoxicating hemp-derived products in the city, calling it “premature.”

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The Council approved the measure at a meeting last month to ban the sale of intoxicating hemp products. It would have permitted the sale of hemp beverages to adults, along with lotions and products for animals.

“The stories I’ve heard about this product getting in the wrong hands is something that we can’t ignore, and we did something today that hasn’t been able to get done in the state,” 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn said last month.

“I continue to have concerns about this measure,” Johnson said last month. “When you make something illegal, you inevitably create a black market.”

On Friday, a statement from the mayor said he has concerns about the effect the ban would have on small businesses, and he says the city needs to wait for guidance from the federal government before a decision is reached.

The mayor’s veto will be officially presented to the City Council on Wednesday.

Johnson issued the following statement Friday:
“I made the decision to veto this ordinance because I continue to have significant concerns around the current proposal and the potential negative impacts this prohibition-style ban could have on our city. As we await additional guidance and rules from the federal government, this ban is premature and requires further collaboration with our small business community.
“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. 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.
“However, the ordinance passed by the City Council would effectively function as a broad ban on many small hemp retailers by limiting sales to licensed cannabis dispensaries and certain liquor-licensed establishments. The ordinance protects some establishments at the expense of many of our small businesses who have been following the law and deserve to have a seat at the table.
“Many of these businesses are Black- and brown-owned. Many are operated by entrepreneurs who were shut out of the expensive cannabis licensing process and turned to federally legal hemp as a pathway into the marketplace. We cannot claim to support equitable economic development while advancing policies that concentrate the market in the hands of a few large entities.
“As the ACLU of Illinois has noted, after decades of failed “War on Drugs” policies, we’ve seen first-hand that criminalization does not eliminate demand. Instead, these approaches push commerce into unregulated, black-market spaces where products are more difficult to regulate and control. Our responsibility is to pass thoughtful regulation, not to legislate entire segments of neighborhood business corridors out of existence.
“For these reasons, I am vetoing this ordinance and calling on the City Council to work with my administration, public health experts, community leaders, and industry stakeholders to craft balanced legislation and a responsible regulatory framework. We can protect young people, ensure safe packaging and responsible sales, and provide clear enforcement mechanisms without dismantling small businesses which make up the fabric of our neighborhoods.
“Chicago can lead with fairness, safety, and opportunity at the same time. I look forward to building a better policy together.”