The Oneida County executive wants to ban the sale of a substance that he says is a public health concern.
What You Need To Know
The Oneida County executive wants to ban the sale of kratom, as he says it is addictive and has led to fatal overdoses
The county currently has a public health order in place to prohibit sales
The county executive is proposing a new law to solidify that public health order
It’s a substance that health officials say is often powdery.
It affects the brain like an opioid would; can be addictive; isn’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for medical use; and is currently accessible and advertised at numerous stores: Kratom.
“It has caused numerous deaths and has caused numerous addictive problems,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente.
County resident Wendy Chamberlain said she lost her 38-year-old son to a kratom overdose.
She said her son, Joseph, was a loving father and a business owner with a great sense of humor who loved life.
“On Aug. 30, 2020, Joseph sat down in his recliner to watch television, and he never woke up,” she said.
The Oneida County Health Department issued a public health order banning the sale of kratom and kratom-derived products on June 5.
Picente wants to solidify that order by proposing a local law.
“The message to those businesses is they have had notice that these products are prohibited in Oneida County. The expectation is compliance,” he said.
Picente said penalties include $500 for the unlawful distribution or sale of kratom. Following that would be penalties of $1,000 per item.
The Board of Legislators need to review the law for 30 days before voting on it.
New York State law prohibits the sale of kratom to people under 21 years old.