FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Fresno County is considering banning a plant that people have been using as a medicinal herb for centuries.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), kratom leaves can be used to increase alertness and physical energy at low doses and as a sedative at higher doses. The National Institute (NIH) on Drug Abuse says people have also used them to manage drug withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
While the leaves have been used in Southeast Asia for centuries, the DEA cautions that consumption can lead to addiction, and said that cases of psychosis have been reported after consuming the leaves.
In August, Orange County banned synthetic kratom. Los Angeles County went a step further and completely banned the leaf after they saw six overdose deaths tied to 7-OH ingestion (the psychoactive chemical found in kratom).
The leaf has also been banned in Newport Beach, Oceanside, and San Diego.
Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, Fresno City Councilmember Nelson Esparza, and the Department of Public Health will discuss the proposed ordinance to regulate access to kratom during a joint press conference on Tuesday. The subject will again be discussed on Thursday during the county’s board of supervisors meeting.
While it is not controlled under the Controlled Substances Act, kratom is listed as a Drug and Chemical of Concern by the DEA. They say use has increased markedly in recent years; in 2021, about 1.7 million people reported using kratom in the past 12 months.
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