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Murrieta council responds to state health letter on kratom, votes to notify local retailers
Summary
After a Jan. 9 California Department of Public Health letter stating kratom sales are unlawful under state code, Murrieta council debated local options and narrowly voted 3-2 to direct staff to notify smoke shops and wellness stores—pending legal verification—about the state's guidance.
Mayor John Lavelle opened a discussion of an ordinance addressing kratom after telling the council he had received a Jan. 9, 2026, letter from the California Department of Public Health. Reading from the letter, the mayor said CDPH advised that “the retail and online sale of kratom and 7‑OH products in any form for consumption is unlawful per California Health and Safety Code 110555,” and warned CDPH may “embargo, seize, and impound products.”
Why it matters: The CDPH notice, issued after the city put the topic on its agenda, raised immediate legal and enforcement questions for Murrieta. If the state interpretation is accurate, local ordinances could be redundant; if it is not, council and residents wanted clarity about local authority…
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