Federal ban on hemp-derived products stuns Illinois businesses, threatening livelihoods.
Illinois hemp farmers and business owners are facing financial ruin after a last-minute provision in the spending bill that reopened the federal government. The new law limits the sale of many hemp-derived products to cannabis dispensaries, effectively shutting down many small-scale operations. According to local hemp farmers, this move could decimate their businesses, leaving them with no choice but to close or significantly scale back their operations.
"This bill would pretty much destroy my entire farm operation," said Amanda Montgomery, owner of AM and PM Hemp Farm in Kirkland. "It's unnecessary and cruel."
Montgomery explained that the hemp industry has long called for regulations on its products, but the federal ban has come out of nowhere, with little opportunity for businesses to voice their concerns.
Business owners like Jeremy Dedic from Cubbington’s Cabinet are also feeling the effects, as the new rule would make it nearly impossible to produce safe consumable products.
"This new rule would essentially close my store and all the businesses I source products from," said Dedic. "It's going to be devastating for this industry."
The federal ban on hemp-derived THC products has left state lawmakers with little to do but welcome federal guidelines that clarify the legal gray area around these products.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford, who had been pushing for regulations like age limits, testing standards, and packaging requirements, expressed frustration at the lack of action from his own party.
"I'm really sorry that the state even allowed for this type of business to exist," he said. "We could've banned this before it got out of control."
Ford also highlighted the loss of potential tax revenue for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who had been banking on $10 million in city revenue from regulating hemp products to help close a billion-dollar budget shortfall.
Chicago officials are working closely with City Council members and federal authorities to find alternative ways to address this shortcoming.
Illinois hemp farmers and business owners are facing financial ruin after a last-minute provision in the spending bill that reopened the federal government. The new law limits the sale of many hemp-derived products to cannabis dispensaries, effectively shutting down many small-scale operations. According to local hemp farmers, this move could decimate their businesses, leaving them with no choice but to close or significantly scale back their operations.
"This bill would pretty much destroy my entire farm operation," said Amanda Montgomery, owner of AM and PM Hemp Farm in Kirkland. "It's unnecessary and cruel."
Montgomery explained that the hemp industry has long called for regulations on its products, but the federal ban has come out of nowhere, with little opportunity for businesses to voice their concerns.
Business owners like Jeremy Dedic from Cubbington’s Cabinet are also feeling the effects, as the new rule would make it nearly impossible to produce safe consumable products.
"This new rule would essentially close my store and all the businesses I source products from," said Dedic. "It's going to be devastating for this industry."
The federal ban on hemp-derived THC products has left state lawmakers with little to do but welcome federal guidelines that clarify the legal gray area around these products.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford, who had been pushing for regulations like age limits, testing standards, and packaging requirements, expressed frustration at the lack of action from his own party.
"I'm really sorry that the state even allowed for this type of business to exist," he said. "We could've banned this before it got out of control."
Ford also highlighted the loss of potential tax revenue for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who had been banking on $10 million in city revenue from regulating hemp products to help close a billion-dollar budget shortfall.
Chicago officials are working closely with City Council members and federal authorities to find alternative ways to address this shortcoming.
Can't believe they're messing with the livelihoods of these farmers and business owners like that... what's the point of even having regulations if you're just gonna swoop in and shut them down? 
They've been trying to make it work, and now this new law comes along and just... boom. It's like, they should've communicated better or something. State reps like Ford saying "I'm sorry" isn't exactly helping the situation either... 
how did it even get that far? These Illinois hemp farmers & business owners had no idea it was gonna be banned, now their livelihoods are on the line 
these hemp farmers & business owners are getting crushed by the gov't 
now people are talking about financial ruin & small-scale operations shutting down... that's devastating 
... They're already struggling to make ends meet, and now this new law is basically shutting them down 
. It just feels so unfair that they got no warning or chance to voice their concerns before it happened. And what really gets me is that the state rep is saying they could've banned it all along 
. And now what? Their livelihoods are basically gone 
... It's just heartbreaking to see 
. I mean, they're already navigating a super complex industry & now this last-minute ban throws everything off balance 
. The fact that some lawmakers are saying 'we could've banned this' is just... I don't know, kinda heartless 
. Can we at least try to support these small-scale operations & find a way to make it work? 
This new law is super harsh on small-scale hemp farmers like Amanda. They're not even producing marijuana, they just want to make CBD products that can help people 
?
. it's not just about the money, it's about livelihoods too. i know some ppl might be worried about THC regulation, but can't we find a balance? this law is like a big blanket of uncertainty 
. As someone who's all about wellness and self-care 
, it's just so frustrating to see businesses being shut down like this 
.
Small-scale farmers and business owners are already struggling to make ends meet. This move could decimate entire industries 
. We need more voices of reason and compassion in our government 
. Let's hope that Chicago officials can find alternative ways to address the budget shortfall 
The latest statistics show that the US cannabis market is expected to reach $31 billion by 2025, but this new ban could potentially disrupt that growth 
Meanwhile, the hemp industry generates an estimated $1.3 billion in revenue each year, with Illinois being one of the top hemp-producing states 
What do you think? Should we be exploring alternative solutions instead? 
And btw, wouldn't it be better if the government just set some clear guidelines instead of banning everything? 
10 million in tax revenue is also pretty huge, hope chicago can find alternative ways to cover the budget shortfall