Cheney council moves kratom ordinance to second reading after extensive debate and public comment

The Cheney City Council advanced a proposed ordinance restricting the sale and distribution of kratom to a second reading after a wide-ranging discussion on May 12 that included several online public commenters and council members pushing for clearer definitions and enforcement mechanisms.

Public commenters urged the council to avoid an outright ban on natural leaf kratom and instead focus on regulating synthetic derivatives and consumer protections. "I'm fighting for my mobility," said Melody Wolf, who identified herself as a daily kratom user, asking the council to "follow the federal guidance and keep it legal, but with reasonable regulations, of course, age limit, labeling, standards like that." Jennifer Gillis, introduced by the mayor, said whole-leaf kratom "gave me my life back" after losing access to prescription medications.

Council debate centered on what exactly the ordinance would ban and how the city could enforce it. Council members noted examples from neighboring jurisdictions and a pending state bill. One council member warned that the literature and examples indicate most jurisdictions are moving toward banning or restricting high-concentration synthetic derivatives (referred to in the record as "7 0 h" products) rather than whole-leaf kratom. The city attorney and staff agreed the current draft needs clearer definitions and enforcement language. "We would need to provide a definition for that," the attorney said when asked about the ordinance's use of the term "kratom analog." Another member noted enforcement under the draft would be a civil infraction handled by code enforcement rather than criminal enforcement.

Council members recommended adding components of consumer-protection frameworks (labeling, age restrictions, manufacturing/testing standards) and discussed whether revocation of a business license should be an available penalty. One council member urged caution about making policing the online sales channel viable for the city, noting that state-level action could be more effective against out-of-town sellers. The council voted to schedule the ordinance for a second reading and referred the item to the public safety subcommittee for additional work before the third reading.

Next steps: the council expects staff and the public safety subcommittee to refine definitions (including what constitutes a "kratom analog"), add consumer-protection measures and clarify enforcement before the next reading.