Sterling Heights introduces ordinance to ban sale and distribution of kratom, adds public-safety code updates

Sterling Heights’ City Council introduced an ordinance package that would ban the sale and distribution of kratom in the city and make multiple code cleanups and public-safety updates.

Assistant City Attorney Don Denault described the package as both a cleanup of older code and a targeted public-safety measure. He said the kratom prohibition was modeled on pending state bills and would remain in place until federal or state regulation is established. "So kratom...is something that is not regulated yet in Michigan in any way," Denault said, and the proposed local ban would remove retail availability while the state considers a uniform approach.

The ordinance package also includes a local offense for operating without insurance (to keep cases local rather than prosecuting through the county), firearms-related updates that align with state law, a provision to prohibit nitrous-oxide sales and a vehicular-nuisance impoundment measure aimed at drag racing.

Council members supported the introduction and asked about enforcement and local outreach. Denault said the city would carry out an informational campaign with the police department and that, if introduced tonight, formal adoption would be scheduled at the next meeting in two weeks. Councilmember Sierowski described kratom as "very detrimental" and said she had seen local cases of addiction; several members said they were glad the city was acting proactively.

The package was introduced by unanimous voice vote and will return as an ordinance for final action at a subsequent meeting.