Shelton study session spotlights kratom, synthetic opioids, vapes and other unregulated products reaching youth

John Holbrook, safety and security director for Renton School District, told the Shelton City Council at its Feb. 11, 2025 study session that a wide range of unregulated substances are appearing in school settings and online and are reaching teenagers across Mason County.

Holbrook focused on so-called nootropics and related products that are marketed as supplements, mood enhancers or ‘‘performance’’ aids but that he said can produce opioid- or hallucinogen-like effects. "Kratom is marketed as a mood enhancer supplement. What we have found is that it has the same effect on the body as heroin. It's essentially a synthetic heroin, if you break it down," Holbrook said. He told the council kratom and other products are widely sold in convenience stores and are not age-restricted under Washington state rules he described.

Why it matters: Holbrook and Mason County public-health officials said the combination of broad retail availability, social-media marketing and anonymous dealer channels makes the products hard to track and easy for young people to obtain. Ben Johnson, prevention coalition coordinator at Mason County Public Health, told the meeting he carried out a limited retail check and found the products in multiple local stores.

What Holbrook reported

- Availability and packaging: Holbrook said kratom, kava, HHC (a hemp-derived cannabinoid), branded products such as ‘‘Zaza’’/TNF variants, flavored nitrous oxide ("whippets"), mushroom products (including psilocybin and Amanita-based items), synthetic sedatives and very high-dose THC drinks are being marketed in forms that appeal to youth. "You can walk in at pretty much any store," he said of kratom and similar products.

- Health and legal concerns: Holbrook cited a Washington Post analysis he said found roughly 4,200 overdose deaths linked to kratom nationwide from 2020–2022. He described cases in which kratom or synthetic products were used with other opioids and where naloxone (Narcan) was reportedly less effective. He also flagged xylazine (a veterinary tranquilizer mixed with fentanyl in some markets) and a family of synthetic opioids called nitazenes as particularly dangerous, saying some nitazene variants have been reported to be many times stronger than fentanyl.

- Youth appeal and concealment: Holbrook showed screenshots and photographs he said were taken from local stores and student phones, and described dealer use of encrypted messaging apps, payment apps and emoji-based menus on Telegram and other platforms to advertise and distribute products. He also pointed out items and clothing with hidden pockets and discreet vape-like devices designed to evade detection.

Public-health and council response

Ben Johnson of Mason County Public Health said his office has been working with schools and community partners on prevention and outreach. "I just recently went out and did a survey of 7 stores. I didn't hit every store...4 out of the 7" had products, he said, adding that the county will continue outreach and that the issue will be raised with county commissioners in March.

Council members and staff asked about possible local or statewide regulatory responses; several speakers urged education and coordinated prevention. One council member said they would be in favor of a city ban but acknowledged enforcement limits because products can be purchased in nearby jurisdictions. Holbrook and others suggested local restrictions or age limits would be easier to enforce if state laws or model statutes exist to follow.

What was not decided or voted on

No ordinance, motion or formal vote was taken at the session. Officials discussed education, retailer outreach and possible research into legislative models used elsewhere, and public-health staff signaled plans to continue mapping retail availability and coordinating with the county.

Ending

Council members thanked Holbrook and local public-health staff and asked the city and county to return with more information about retailer outreach, model ordinances and enforcement options. Ben Johnson said the coalition and health department will continue outreach and prepare materials for county commissioners in March.

(Reporting note: quotations and attributions come from the meeting transcript; descriptions of product availability and health concerns reflect presenters' statements during the Feb. 11, 2025 Shelton City Council study session.)