The day before Illinois’ spring legislative session ended, lawmakers were poised to pass a wide-ranging cannabis bill that was meant to save struggling small businesses. The measure had largely been agreed upon by stakeholders in months of meetings. But large cannabis companies and some lawmakers suddenly pushed to include a ban on hemp-derived products like delta-8 THC. That controversial measure blew up any agreement on the all-in-one “omnibus” bill.
Products like delta-8 THC can get users high like the delta-9 THC typically found in weed, but in Illinois they face none of the requirements for testing for contaminants and potency. Seventeen states have banned delta-8, while another seven severely restrict it, according to CBD Oracle. Some delta-8 companies have asked for regulation to legitimize their business.