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Effingham council bans sale and delivery of kratom within city limits
Summary
The City of Effingham adopted an ordinance prohibiting the sale and delivery of kratom and related products after staff and the police chief cited inconsistent potency, lack of FDA approval and reported local benefits from nearby bans.
The Effingham City Council voted to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the sale and delivery of kratom within the city limits after a staff recommendation that the measure remain in place until state or federal regulation addresses product consistency.
Police Chief Davis told the council kratom is not FDA-approved and that ‘‘the biggest problem with kratom is the inconsistency in the amount of chemical in the makeup,’’ meaning users cannot reliably know potency from one product to the next. He said neighboring Alton, Illinois, passed a similar ban and ‘‘have seen tremendous results since the banning of the sale of it.’’ The city attorney also recommended proceeding with the ordinance as written, citing safety and regulatory uncertainty.
Council members debated whether naturally occurring kratom has legitimate uses but agreed the ordinance should target sales and distribution rather than possession. The motion to adopt the ordinance (Order 452026) was moved and seconded and carried on a roll-call-style voice vote with the mayor and multiple commissioners recorded as voting yes.
The ordinance does not criminalize possession, according to the discussion; it restricts commercial sale and delivery pending further regulation. City staff said they will monitor developments at the state and federal level and return to council if broader regulatory changes warrant revising the ordinance.
The council moved on to other agenda items after adopting the measure; the ordinance was approved as a formal action at tonight’s meeting.
