After state action, Ventura County drops local kratom ordinance and opts for education

Ventura County health officials told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that new state action affecting kratom products prompted the county to halt development of a local ordinance and instead pursue outreach and education for retailers and consumers.

After an August staff presentation that had prompted direction to draft a local ordinance, Behavioral Health Director Dr. Loretta Dennering and Public Health Director Rigo Vargas returned with an update: the California Department of Public Health had issued an advisory deeming kratom and certain concentrated kratom alkaloids unsafe and, in the state’s view, illegal to sell.

"Rather than come before you with an ordinance that would confirm that determination by the state... we are, in alignment with state and federal organizations, carrying out an outreach and education campaign," Vargas told the board, adding county teams in overdose prevention and tobacco outreach are ready to lead the work.

The public comment period drew dozens of callers and in‑person speakers with strongly divided views. Several speakers urged preservation of access to natural kratom leaf for chronic pain and recovery — saying prohibition would harm veterans and chronic‑pain patients — while other speakers and public‑health advocates described harms associated with synthetic concentrated products and supported enforcement of the state advisory.

Supervisor Parvin moved the staff recommendation to receive and file the update and to cease development of the county ordinance; Supervisor Lopez seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Board direction: staff will coordinate education and retail compliance work with state agencies and local partners; enforcement and any necessary retailer action will be informed by the state's regulatory process.