(The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, is turning up the heat in his quest to bring greater reforms to the growing hemp industry.
Ford is slated to join the Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association Thursday morning for a panel discussion on Chicago’s West Side. The panel aims at discussing establishing formal regulations across the hemp industry after the most recent legislative session in Springfield failed to bring about any changes.
“We have to regulate Delta 8 products in Illinois for the safety of public health and we have to regulate the age so that no one under 21 can buy it,” Ford told The Center Square. “We have to stand against the prohibition against this Delta hemp because otherwise we’re going to have a prohibition that will only ignite the cannabis. How can we in Illinois say that we’re going to ban Delta 8 but legalize and regulate Delta 9.”
Ford has long been pushing for changes in the state’s recreational and medical cannabis laws. He hopes to give more minority-owned businesses a fairer chance in carving out a place for themselves in the industry. This week’s event is just the first in what will be an ongoing, statewide tour on the matter, Ford said.
“We’re planning to do tours across the state to educate the community and the different representatives on Delta 8,” he added. “We definitely want to make sure that we bring the experts to the table and talk to the community and members of the General Assembly. The problem that we’re having with the legislature in Springfield is cannabis Delta 9 believes that we should ban Delta 8 so that they can have a monopoly.”
Representatives from the Illinois Black Hemp Association are also expected to take part in Thursday’s forum. Among other things, the panel is expected to address ways that minority owners can enter and thrive in the hemp industry.
