Park Ridge city leaders may soon move to outlaw the sale of two hemp-derived synthetic THC products to anyone under age 21, likely an intermediate move before an outright ban regardless of age.
The City Council met as the Committee of the Whole Monday and voted at that committee meeting to begin now considering an age restriction on sales of products commonly known as Delta-8. Then later, the alderpersons could deliberate a broader restriction.
“Given the level of risks, why don’t we just do a temporary ban like many other municipalities have done?” Alderperson Harmony Harrington asked at the committee meeting.
City leaders learned earlier this year that Delta-8 and Delta-9 products slipped through existing regulations on tobacco and marijuana or cannabis products.
“Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as Delta-8 THC, and Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as Delta-9 THC, are psychoactive substances typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol,” according to previous city documents.
Delta-8 can be found in drinks, vapes, edibles and other forms.
Hemp products are mostly not regulated by state law and, because Delta-8 is a synthetic derivative of hemp, it slips through a legal loophole, leaving local authorities scrambling to close it.
By May, if the City Council passes an ordinance, those under age 21 will not be allowed to purchase the substance in the city, putting Park Ridge ahead of several surrounding communities – including Chicago.
City leaders had been leaning toward an outright ban, but during a March meeting, Olga Ochisor, co-owner of Hemp CBD Wellness, said she was concerned the law would be too broad and affect her business. She said her store doesn’t sell Delta-8 or anything that is synthetic, but she was concerned that a blanket ban could impact her.
At the time, Alderperson John Moran said he favored waiting until language of the draft ordinance could be clarified so it would only prohibit Delta-8. The council agreed to wait to better define what would be prohibited, and work with retail outlets. The council voted then to hold the issue until Monday’s meeting. April 7.
However, City Manager Joe Gilmore told the council Monday the draft ordinance wasn’t quite ready yet and he proposed holding off until May.
“Staff hasn’t had a chance to interact with stakeholders and create a new recommendation for the council,” Gilmore said.
He said he’d like to take more time to craft an ordinance that would be more widely agreed on before leaders consider outright banning Delta-8.
But Harrington then said the city could still pass an age restriction ordinance. She pointed out that at present, anyone of any age could buy Delta-8 products at any store in town that wanted to carry it.
Gilmore said city leaders taking more time to consider how to deal with an outright ban shouldn’t be an issue.
“The approach from staff is more measure twice cut once,” he said. “This is a product that’s been around for a very long time and the extension [to consider in May] is, in my opinion, very minor. We’re asking for another month, a month and a half. … We want to make sure what we implement is logical and efficient. Could we just do an outright ban right now? We can, but that’s not responsive to some of the feedback we got from business owners.”
Harrington pushed back, though, and suggested at least an age restriction. A total ban could come later — if at all.
“I am all about getting the policy right before legislating things,” she said. “But doing something like, you must be 21 to purchase, makes me feel more comfortable.”
The owners of Hemp CBD Wellness attended the meeting Monday. One of the owners, Avi Thakar, assured the board an age restriction wouldn’t hurt that store.
“We want to assure you we already have that policy and the staff is already trained on all the products,” Thaker said.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.
