CBD products could be immediately banned in Big Cannabis bill

By Travis Akin

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – A scientist who has done an extensive review of House Bill 4293 – the marijuana industry’s legislation to ban therapeutic hemp products and shut down retailers – says the legislation could result in a ban on even topical CBD products used by many Illinois residents and their pets.

Tiffany Coleman, a natural product organic chemist with over 12 years of experience in natural product and pharmaceutical development and 11 years of experience in the hemp and cannabis industries, also warned that CBD consumers would likely go to the black market to find therapeutic products if the bill becomes law.

The legislation takes effect immediately. The bill is “confusing and potentially technically impossible to follow for hemp processors and manufacturers,” and it is probably not the intent of the legislators to create such a burden and potentially ban the production of all hemp consumer CBD products in the State of Illinois,” Coleman said in a letter to Illinois legislators.

“Requiring all hemp consumer CBD products to be effectively THC-free would limit access to these consumer products which may lead consumers to look to other traditional and potentially illicit sources of CBD,” said Coleman, a longtime member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the National Cannabis Industry Association.

Also, consumers will be able to buy out of state hemp products on the Internet because the bill doesn’t address this.

House Bill 4293 could be voted on this week by the Illinois House of Representatives. The lobbying effort for the legislation has been led by big cannabis company owners that stand to benefit financially from a hemp, CDB and delta 8 ban that would shut down retail operators that sell these therapeutic CBD and hemp products.

Delta 8 THC is a cannabinoid found in the hemp plant that is expanding in popularity nationwide with promising applications in both the medical and recreational fields. While Delta 8 THC has familiar properties to Delta 9 THC, the main chemical found in marijuana, it has completely different effects on its users and generally less potency.

According to Marijuana Business Daily in March 2024, delta 8 products are legal or legally regulated in over 30 states, including Illinois.