Toledo council bans synthetic kratom derivatives, allows natural leaf pending research

The Toledo City Council voted on Nov. 5 to adopt Ordinance 3-51-25, which enacts Toledo Municipal Code Part 5 subsection 5.13.17 to prohibit the sale of certain synthetic kratom derivatives while leaving the natural kratom leaf legal pending further research and regulation.

Councilman Melden, who moved the amendment, told colleagues the ordinance targets "the synthetic products" and derivatives that have raised public-health concerns, while the natural leaf would remain allowed under the city's earlier resolution requesting additional study and regulatory clarity. "This is really about getting this out of the hands of and removing access in so many different places throughout our city," Melden said.

The ordinances new title as read by the clerk bans sales of 7-hydroxy mitragynine and other synthetic mitragynine derivatives and was passed under emergency suspension and immediate passage. The council recorded its votes and the ordinance was adopted that same day.

Sponsors and councilmembers framed the action as a targeted public-health measure to remove high-potency synthetic products from local retail while preserving the option to study and regulate natural kratom products in a separate process. The ordinance includes an emergency clause, making the prohibition effective immediately upon passage.

The council did not specify a city enforcement timeline beyond the emergency effective date during the meeting; the clerk recorded passage and the ordinance was entered into the Toledo Municipal Code with the stated subsection number 5.13.17.