Public officials in Fresno County agree there needs to be regulation of kratom — a widely accessible substance responsible for multiple deaths. But the city and county have different visions for how to move forward with new rules.
On Tuesday, Fresno County supervisors approved a ban on concentrated kratom, while continuing to permit sales of its natural leaf form. The ordinance also prohibits all kratom sales to anyone under age 21.
Supervisors opted for this compromise after hearing from patients and health advocates who spoke about the natural leaf’s potential benefits. Some residents said it helped them quit alcohol, opioids, and other substances.
By contrast, the Fresno City Council is poised to vote on a much stricter proposal Thursday, which would ban all kratom, including both the natural leaf and concentrated forms.
Ryan Sherman, legislative advocate for the California Narcotic Officers’ Association, told supervisors he supports banning concentrates but has no objection to loose-leaf kratom. County Interim Health Officer Rais Vohra, however, warned that concentrated products could be mislabeled to skirt the partial ban — a concern echoed by city council members.
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical plant native to Southeast Asia. Its active alkaloids, primarily mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), bind to opioid receptors in the brain. Depending on the dose, kratom can produce effects ranging from alertness to sedation, or from euphoria to pain relief. While not chemically identical to opioids like heroin or fentanyl, it can trigger similar responses in the brain.
Over the past decade, kratom has grown in popularity, especially during the opioid crisis. Many individuals with chronic pain or opioid addiction use it as a substitute for prescription painkillers.
In California, kratom remains legal statewide, and there are currently no age restrictions for its purchase. However, lawmakers are considering AB 1088, which would prohibit sales of kratom products to anyone under 21, require child-resistant packaging, and limit the amount of 7-OH allowed per product.
Public health officials are especially concerned about unregulated synthetic versions of 7-OH, which can be far more potent.
Fresno officials join a growing number of jurisdictions across California that are moving to regulate kratom, and particularly 7-OH.
Read more at GV Wire.