On January 21, Illinois Rep. Mark Batinick filed with the House of Representatives Clerk’s Office an amendmentto the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act to limit the percentages of THC contained in cannabis products, including medical patient products.

Illinois Rep. Mark Batinick

The introduced synopsis stated, “Provides that for the purposes of the Act, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, cannabis flower with greater than 10% tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabis concentrate with greater than 15% tetrahydrocannabinol, and a cannabis-infused product with greater than 15% tetrahydrocannabinol are prohibited and may not be cultivated, produced, or sold.”

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The first reading of the amendment and referral to the Rules Committee occurred January 27. The synopsis continued, “In provisions regarding laboratory testing, requires an active ingredient analysis of each batch of cannabis or cannabis-infused product tested by an approved laboratory to include tetrahydrocannabinol percentage.”

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NORML quickly apposed the amendment with the following statement and call to political action to appose the THC caps on cannabis. Batinick also can be reached by email at  batinick@ilhousegop.org and by phone at (217) 782-1331 for his Springfield Office and (815) 254-0000 for his District Office.

“Legislation is pending in Illinois, House Bill 4709, which would place restrictions on the potency of regulated marijuana, limiting the concentration of THC to ten percent for cannabis flower and fifteen percent for concentrates and other cannabis-infused products.

If passed, this bill would significantly limit access to stronger forms of cannabis, with the most detrimental impacts falling on those who rely on marijuana for its medicinal properties. Just as conventional medicines are readily available in a variety of strengths and potencies in order to meet individual patients’ needs, medicinal cannabis and regulated products in general should be available in varying potencies and formulations.

Furthermore, there is no substantiated evidence that higher potency cannabis can cause harmful effects to its consumers. Unlike alcohol, THC, regardless of potency or quantity, cannot cause death by lethal overdose. Imposing THC limits on cannabis products not only limits a patient’s ability to access the type of medicine they need, but it can also bolster an illicit market with marijuana consumers unsatisfied with what regulated dispensaries are permitted to offer.”

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