Overview
- The mayor rejected a 32–16 City Council ordinance that would have barred most intoxicating hemp sales starting April 1 with limited carve-outs.
- Ald. Marty Quinn said he lacks the 34 votes required to override, leaving current sales in place pending new talks.
- Johnson called the measure premature and urged alignment with forthcoming federal rules, citing risks to small and minority-owned businesses.
- The ordinance would have confined many products to licensed cannabis dispensaries or certain liquor-licensed venues and kept drinks, topicals and pet items exempt.
- City officials warned a broad ban would be hard to enforce and threaten jobs, while a separate federal curtailment of many hemp products is scheduled later this year but could be delayed by Congress.