A wide-ranging new state law on hemp and other cannabis regulations was “long overdue,” Gov. JB Pritzker said Thursday at an event in Chicago to celebrate the new law he signed last month.

Senate Bill 3222 makes a variety of changes to the state’s cannabis laws but chiefly introduces new regulations for intoxicating hemp products. It immediately bans the sale of the previously unregulated products such as delta-8 to those under 21and now regulates intoxicating hemp under the state’s existing cannabis laws.

“While our regulated cannabis market has been operating under those strict standards, using a federal loophole, an entirely separate market emerged for intoxicating hemp products, creating real risks to the public, especially for our kids,” Pritzker said. “Intoxicating hemp products have been sold over the counter without the safeguards consumers deserve, and until now without the protections needed to keep them out of the hands of young people.”

Intoxicating hemp products now must be sold in child-proof packages. It also bans what supporters of regulation call misleading advertising and packaging that is designed to appeal to children, such as packaging the products in a way designed to look like common snacks.

“These are not harmless products that carry real risks for young children and young people,” said Dr. Mark Butterly, the chief medical officer at Advocate Aurora Children’s Hospital. “These products can impair judgments, affecting the developing brain, and send children to our emergency departments.”

The law is years in the making after legislators debated how to regulate hemp. Proposals ranged from sweeping bans on hemp products to introducing an entirely new framework of regulations.

Reforms Pritzker supported stalled in early 2025 after fighting between Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and House Democrats. The governor endorsed a Senate-passed bill, but the House declined to take it up after a big blow up in a private caucus meeting where Pritzker said members of his administration were verbally abused.

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Johnson’s team opposed the Pritzker-supported bill. Pritzker bashed the mayor afterward, saying he rarely reaches out to discuss issues with Pritzker, though the governor said he doubts Johnson’s opposition stalled the measure.

But this spring, there was little fighting over hemp and cannabis reforms and the bill was introduced in the final days of session without drama.

Other reforms

Beginning Nov. 12, non-intoxicating CBD products with less than 0.4 milligrams of THC will be allowed to be sold outside the regulated market.

With more businesses that sell intoxicating products now subject to regulation, the law also allows the state to issue 45 unused infuser licenses to businesses in January to applicants with prior experience under the state’s social equity laws and add 100 new licenses in 2028.

“As industries evolve, our laws must also,” Pritzker said. “Today, we are strengthening protections for children, we are expanding access for patients, we’re advancing social equity even further, and we’re making our regulatory system operate more efficiently and better for everyone.”

The bill also made several changes to the state’s existing cannabis laws.

All dispensaries in the state will be able to register as medical dispensaries, ending previous restrictions that distinguished between those that could sell medical products or only ones for recreational use. The new changes will also allow medical patients to pick up cannabis curbside or through a drive-thru. More conditions will also qualify patients to receive a medical cannabis prescription.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.