Newport Beach bans the sale of and distribution of kratom within city limits

The substance kratom will soon be banned in the city of Newport Beach, following City Council approval Tuesday of an ordinance that prohibits the sale and distribution of the controversial herbal remedy purported to help address opioid addiction and other conditions.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves can produce stimulant effects, and federal officials say it has been used to self-treat conditions such as pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety and depression, opioid use disorder and opioid withdrawal. A national survey conducted in 2021 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed an estimated 1.7 million Americans older than the age of 12 used kratom.

No drug or dietary supplements containing kratom or its two main chemical components — mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine — have been approved by the FDA.

Noted in a staff report prepared for Tuesday’s council meeting, kratom usage has been said to lead to psychotic symptoms in addition to psychological and physiological dependence. It is not currently regulated at the federal level. In Southern California, the city of San Diego banned the use and sale of kratom in 2016.

Councilwoman Lauren Kleiman brought up the item at the Feb. 13 meeting of the City Council. The new ordinance was first passed on a consent calendar introduction Feb. 27 and the final required approval came March 12.

In a message Thursday, Kleiman said the new ordinance is in line with how the city treats cannabis. The city banned the cultivation, processing, distribution and delivery of cannabis within its borders in 2015.

“In the case of kratom, it’s untested and not authorized for consumption by the FDA, and yet it’s available to anyone who walks into any business that sells it, including minors,” said Kleiman. “In making the decision, we relied on a staff report provided by our police department, using currently available information regarding kratom’s safety. Should that information change in the future, we could certainly revisit the decision. In the meantime, there are plenty of other opportunities to access the product outside the city for residents that would like to purchase it.”

Kleiman noted that nearly all of the public input received on the agenda item, however, were from “well outside Newport Beach, the region or the state.”

City spokesman John Pope confirmed the ordinance will go into effect in April.