By Sophia Tiedge – Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel –
Wisconsin has no age restriction on the sale of hemp products, but after an incident from August of 2024 in which two children were hospitalized after being sold “THC gummies,” city officials have found a way to crack down on the sale of hemp-derived THC products.
Common Council members backed a proposal July 15 to restrict the purchasing of hemp-derived products to anyone under 21 years old.
Those include products with names such as delta-8 and delta-10 — chemical cousins to marijuana. The legislation does not apply to “any non-intoxicating cannabinoids,” including CBD.
To hold establishments accountable, anyone violating the ordinance would receive a citation ranging from $400 to $1,000. They could also be prosecuted for the offense.
An investigation last year by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Examination and AL.com found the products are causing a sharp rise in reports of children and adults getting sick. Those findings are alarming doctors and public health researchers.
Such products can be traced to Congress’ legalization of the sale of hemp and products extracted from it in the 2018 Farm Bill. Hemp is a type of cannabis plant with low levels of the psychoactive compound that gets people high, known as delta-9 THC.
A city committee voted unanimously to support the legislation earlier this month, and now that Common Council backed the potential ordinance, Mayor Cavalier Johnson would need to sign off before it can be enacted.
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