>> Hemp growers are pushing back on a state bill that would put new regulations on the industry.

Backers of the measure, including Governor JB Pritzker, say tighter regulations would protect children in Illinois.

But critics say the rules threaten to put them out of business.

Joining us with more are.

We've got to finish Ingram executive director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, Illinois State Representative La Shawn Ford and joining us via zoom, Justin Ward, president of the Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association.

We were hoping to Illinois Senate majority leaders, state Sen can really light join us for this conversation as well.

She might call in later.

Stay tuned, everybody.

Thanks to the 3 of you for joining us, Justin Ward.

Let's start with you.

Please explain the difference between hemp and cannabis.

>> So have was to find the 2018 federal farm bill has any plan to rid of it I somersault from the cannabis plant that test below 0.3%, Delta, 9 THC.

And that is the distinction between what we call marijuana were high THC, cannabis >> Okay.

And of course, we know that him can also be used for CBD, which we know has has grown in popularity.

then there's the intoxicating hit.

The stuff that we're talking about called Delta 8.

Tiffany, what is intoxicating have been wise?

It state rise dangerous.

>> So intoxicating have actually it could be many different things, right?

it's anything that's above the line.

But the 0.3 and a dry weight bases Delta, 9.

And so what happens is that you have you have many actors that are creating sort of synthetic derivatives that make it more intoxicating.

So they they do certain things to change the molecular structure to make it more intoxicating.

So people purchase Okay.

>> And what are the concerns with with being able to buy that?

Where does one get this?

So one of the major concerns is that it's predominately unregulated.

And what mean by that is that no requirements for H getting testing labeling.

>> Reading potency.

And so when you don't have those are tracking and tracing sort of the similar things that you have in the cannabis industry.

And when you have industry that's been allowed to sort of run unfettered you, we've seen instances where, you know, national leaving scene numbers of many children going to the hospital because they're getting a hold of these products because they don't have the necessary protections in place.

>> And we know that Senator Light Ford has she sponsored House Bill.

4293, what we know about that bill and what we do.

That's correct.

But bill passed overwhelmingly in the Senate the bill essentially is to have consumer products.

Second, which that what it does is that it creates a sort of registration for hemp products.

So it's not banning him.

That's creating a regulatory structure.

>> You know, with demand in sort of regulatory structures in place to regulate hemp.

So we know who selling it, where they're getting it and that it's properly tested right?

But then there's another part of that legislation that deals with intoxicating products and those products.

You know, we'll take another path as very similar to how cannabis is regulated.

And then the 3rd thing that it does is that remove it completely does remove the ability to create synthetic products which we think are problematic.

>> Representative how would this legislation impact businesses that sell hemp products or tell you that we agree.

I agree everything that Tiffany and the governor says about regulation.

And so my thought is that we protect industry that's already in existence but regulate it and tax it and make sure that it's It definitely have a goal of limiting the each right now.

People can purchase this under 21.

We need to stop that now.

We can do that today.

We see people purchasing Delta products at bad actors, the gas stations in places like that.

We need to shut them down today.

Justin, what are your concerns with this legislation?

>> First, I'd like to echo the some of that sentiment from the governor's office as well as the legislature and rep for that.

We as have industry are concerned about children getting access to these products and no way support of that.

And we've been pushing for regulation for years.

The problem is, is the technical flaws in some of the language in this legislation create a ban that would ban even non intoxicating full-spectrum CBD products because of the way that the bill is written.

So things like CBD lotions and CBD oils would no longer be available or the way the bill as currently written.

>> And same question to you, Justin.

What's the impact that this that legislation like this might have on businesses that sell the products?

>> It's devastating for businesses as well as consumers.

not only am I the president of the Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association, but I'm the co-founder and chief operating officer of Stony Branch Farms Fish are 6 generation family farm and was a lifeline for our farm to be able to get back involved in farming.

We don't have the acreage to be involved in row.

Proper in a land have allowed us to build ability to get involved in Farmer land again.

>> This bill would put us out of business immediately.

It would limit access to consumers who rely on these products.

So it will be truly devastating to the hemp industry in Illinois.

And the fact is it doesn't truly close up the loophole allowing these products to be able to get access to children, children, to go to get access these proxies products and still be widely available online to be shipped in from out of state anywhere in the country in Illinois would have no ability to regulate those products.

So I think we really need sensible regulation here in the state to provide safe options for consumers who are getting treatment.

it's from products.

>> Tiffany, do you think that him products should only be sold?

Cannabis dispensaries?

So there's a distinction, right?

So hemp products within themselves, CBD products are are not the challenge, right?

I think there's been misnomer flick.

>> You If you know, trying to ban him from that.

And that's not not the case like at to his point some of these products are therapeutic.

The CBD, not intoxicating products and in the law.

There is, you know, sort of provisions for that account for this and not intoxicating product.

That doesn't require the sort of strict regulation that intoxicating product lick.

Turning to the intoxicating product.

That a whole different issue.

I mean, what we are seeing is that children are getting access to these products because there is no age gating.

You know, this unregulated industry has had sort of devastating effects on sort of cannabis industry writ large, the state, you know, take a lot of investment to create a cannabis industry with social equity at its center.

You have a license holders that are, you know, social equity license holders that are sandwiched between Delta, 8 sellers that or not subject to the requirements.

Many dispensaries have to have like cameras and security and testing all that's very expensive.

And plus, we pay close to 40% taxation.

So, you know, those those revenues from cannabis flow to all sorts of things that benefit the state.

flows to community programming.

It flows too funding that goes to social equity programs and loans.

And it's it's something that we're seeing a sort of.

You know, erosion of that cannabis revenues that go to the state because we have unfettered unregulated market that is infringing on Representative Ford, you said that putting cannabis dispensaries in charge of him sales will put dispensaries basically in control of the market.

>> What's wrong with that?

>> Well, I mean, there's lawsuit right now in New Jersey, I believe where there have been sued because they've done similar things that we're doing here in Illinois and it gives a monopoly to the cannabis industry.

We have to remember that Delta it's federally illegal.

Delta II is legal.

Delta 9, of course, being tht see cannabis.

Yes, and we need to recognize that we did it for cannabis.

Regulated, made it safe tax that made sure that people are able to get clean marijuana.

can do the same thing with Delta.

We can't go back and say that we cleaned up the cannabis industry, but we're going to not clean up the Delta.

We're going create a underground traditional market for Delta.

That's wrong.

And it's a guess I would call in the war on drugs.

Justin, what would you like lawmakers to know before moving forward if this should get called up?

>> Yeah, I like legislators and the governors office to know that we are more than happy to collaborate and educate and explain.

You know why 42 93 would be so damaging to our industry and goes far beyond regulation, but is actually a van and that we we want to see regulation pass and we want to work with legislators to make that happen.

we will be reaching out have been for several years and continue to do that until we can get good sensible regulation for half past year in Illinois that protects consumers allows access customers or, you know, in need of these products and allows businesses to continue to thrive and grow.

>> Tiffany, somebody mentioned New Jersey where other states doing to regulate hemp.

So I will say majority of states that you have a cannabis program have instituted some type of.

>> No regulation, whether it's a complete ban, some hybrid or something.

And the other.

And so I point to, you know, our neighbor in Missouri governor had put in an executive order to actually have a van.

And that's not something with this legislation.

Does I like applaud the governor for taking, you know, taking the step in taking action that he'd like to see this legislation that we believe this measured and and had tons of stakeholder engagement, including from the hemp industry.

And, you know, if you look at other states like California, also, Governor Newsom has impose that executive order basically saying no hay and what my health agency too, get these products out of our Many, many states are taking action to regulate band or some type of hybrid to make sure that they're protecting their citizens from these types of products.

Sounds like what he's doing all the same to regulation.

It's a patchwork.

Still still figure that out,