Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Kratom topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
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 and how to protect youth and consumers.
City Attorney and Murrieta Police Chief Tiffany Henry told the council they were still confirming the legal citation and scope. The city attorney said the letter indicates the state believes kratom fits within a listed Health and Safety Code category and that the state would pursue felony-level charges under that code. Chief Henry told the council kratom “is not a major issue in our city,” noting school resource officers had encountered it on campus only once in about four years.
Public testimony featured a string of personal accounts. Art Richard said, “I’ve been using Kratom as a supplement for 10 years,” and described it as essential for his anxiety management. Wanda Richard and Diane Petrie told the council kratom helped family members recover from opioid addiction or manage chronic pain. Other speakers, including Jordan Richard and health-policy advocates, urged the council to distinguish natural leaf kratom from synthetic concentrated products and to limit bans to the latter.
Council debate centered on two questions: whether state action already made local regulation unnecessary and whether local action should target synthetic 7‑OH concentrates while leaving botanical leaf kratom available to adults. Councilwoman Laurie Stone, noting retailer practices and public concern about youth access, moved to direct staff to send a letter to smoke shops and wellness stores stating the new CDPH guidance. Mayor Pro Tem Holliday added a verification step and asked staff to confirm the letter’s legal basis before distribution.
The motion passed 3-2. Mayor Lavelle, Mayor Pro Tem Holliday and Councilwoman Stone voted yes; Councilmembers Warren and DeForest dissented. The council’s recorded direction was to verify the CDPH letter and then notify local retailers of the state guidance rather than adopt a separate local ordinance at this time.
What’s next: City attorneys said they would confirm the CDPH interpretation with state authorities and the district attorney’s office, then brief council and coordinate outreach to affected retailers. The council did not enact a local ban or criminalize possession; it directed notification and verification steps as its immediate action.
