Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council adds concern about kratom and similar products to legislative agenda
Summary
Shelton council amended its 2026 legislative agenda to ask state legislators to keep on their radar concerns about kratom, nitrous oxide and similar products sold at gas stations and smoke shops, emphasizing protecting minors while some members warned about impacts on small businesses.
Council members on Dec. 2 voted to amend the city’s 2026 legislative agenda to ask the city’s legislative delegation to "keep on their mind" concerns about substances sold at local retailers, including kratom, mushroom powders and nitrous oxide.
Mayor and council members discussed reports of easy availability at gas stations and smoke shops and raised differing views. One council member said kratom can be a "gateway" and urged attention to restricting youth access; others said many retailers already apply voluntary age checks and cautioned that heavy-handed local pressure could harm small businesses. The amendment did not create a local ordinance; it asks Shelton’s delegation and AWC contacts to monitor the issue at the state level.
City manager Martin Figler framed the legislative agenda as focused primarily on capital priorities and infrastructure funding, and council added the amendment as a nonbinding request to state lawmakers.
The council’s action was procedural: Resolution 1410-1025 establishing the 2026 legislative agenda was adopted as amended; staff will prepare capital request materials for delegation consideration.
