Westford Board of Health bans sale, production and distribution of kratom and certain synthetics, effective April 1, 2026

The Westford Board of Health voted unanimously March 9 to adopt a town regulation banning the sale, distribution, production and provision for human consumption of kratom and certain synthetic cannabinoids, with the regulation set to take effect April 1, 2026.

Board Chair Stephanie Granger said the board had been reviewing letters and public input for months and that members had been “pretty unanimous in our expressing an interest in a regulation.” The motion to adopt the regulation with edits — including moving the explanatory "whereas" language to the front, changing an errant reference from "Medford" to "Westford," and adding the word "produce" to the list of prohibited acts — was made by Chair Stephanie Granger and seconded; the board voted 4–0.

Nut graf: The regulation follows model language used by other Massachusetts…