Spokane Washington Bans Sale Of Kratom
The Council voted 6-1 to approve the ban
The sale of the psychoactive plant kratom and its extracts is now banned in Spokane after the city council approved Mayor Lisa Brown’s proposal to prohibit the otherwise unregulated substance within city limits.
Brown, who has argued in interviews that the drug is causing “substantial harm,” proposed the citywide ban at the start of the year, pointing to advertisements outside of high schools, warnings from both local health officials and law enforcement, and a recent string of fatal overdoses connected to kratom extracts in Idaho jails.
“We think it’s clearly the right thing to do for public health and especially the protection of young people,” Brown said in a Friday interview.
The Council voted 6-1 to approve the ban. Councilman Michael Cathcart was the sole no vote, arguing that there was insufficient research into kratom.
Selling it in the city is now a civil infraction, and retailers found in violation can lose their business license.
To Read The Rest Of This Article On Spokesman-Review, Click Here
