CHICAGO (WGN) — Governor JB Pritzker was fired up Tuesday over a bill that stalled in the House of Representatives just 24 hours prior. The bill — which was designed to license, tax and regulate hemp-derived products such as Delta-8 — wasn’t called to the floor for a vote, despite widespread support from both parties.
“We know that the vast majority of Democrats were in favor of this, and the vast majority of republicans were in favor of it,” Pritzker said. “So, the fact it didn’t get called, a bipartisan bill to safeguard the people of Illinois, it’s a tragedy.”
The motivator behind the bill stims from Delta-8 having a slightly chemical tweak in the psychoactive compound found in marijuana, meaning it can get users high and it’s federally legal, which is where the problem comes in. Delta-8 products are often sold in packaging that makes it look like candy.
“I’ve talked to the mother of a daughter who took one of these packages, didn’t understand how intoxicating the package was, and ended up passed out,” Pritzker said. “[She] ended up in the hospital and has been in and out of the hospital for eight months as a result of just this product that looked as if it were candy.”