LOWER MERION – Lower Merion Township commissioners plan to disseminate a public health warning about the dangers of Kratom, an addictive, unregulated substance that is increasingly being sold in the region.
The Lower Merion Health Committee approved a motion to recommend that the commissioners authorize the distribution of a Kratom Advisory Notice prepared by the township’s Health Advisory Council.
“The Township’s Health Advisory Council reports that Kratom is increasingly advertised at mini-markets, smoke shops, and gas stations throughout Lower Merion Township. It is sold in a variety of forms, including loose powder, capsules, and extracts. Kratom is an unregulated and unstandardized substance with reported significant health impacts. The Health Advisory Council desires to raise public awareness of Kratom and warn of potential health outcomes related to the substance,” according to the issues briefing prepared by the township staff to the commissioners.
Commissioner Christine McGuire outlined some of the information on kratom.
“Just as a way of background, Kratom is the common generic name for Mitragyna speciosa, which is a tree native to Southeast Asia. The leaves of this tree are used to make tea extracts, liquids, capsules, and other products. The leaves contain multiple alkaloids, including mitragynine,” McGuire said.
According to the draft notice the township is considering putting out, Kratom has caused fatal overdoses, often after being mixed with other substances.
“An advisory from the Pennsylvania Department of Health noted a dramatic increase in Kratom overdose calls to poison centers. Medical organizations including the National Institute on Drug Abuse have documented that Kratom can cause serious adverse effects including seizures, confusion, dizziness, hallucinations, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, respiratory depression, vomiting, and liver injury, and can create withdrawal symptoms when users try to stop. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strongly discourages its use, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lists Kratom as a drug of concern,” according to a portion of the township’s notice.
Last year, before being sworn in as a member of the board of commissioners, McGuire spoke in front of the board about the hazards of Kratom.
The expectation is that as the popularity of kratom grows, it will be seen more throughout the township.
“You’re going to see this in gas stations, and you’re going to see this in maybe convenience stores and vape shops. We just want the public here to know what it is and to be aware of that,” McGuire said.
When Commissioner Scott Zelov asked McGuire if she believes Kratom is already in the township, she immediately responded, “It absolutely is.”
McGuire also outlined some of the state legislative bills that address Kratom.
House Bill 2357 would prohibit the sale and manufacturing of synthetic botanical products while establishing regulations for natural products. Senate Bill 233 established consumer protections and product standards, and House Bill 2158 would classify certain high-potency and synthetic kratom products as Schedule I controlled substances.
“Each state is finding its way and setting its own regulations with regard to both the botanical and the synthetic and semi-synthetic versions of this,” McGuire said.
In 2022, Radnor Township approved an ordinance banning the sale of Kratom within 1,000 feet of a school. The ban came in response to a company that had planned on opening a store that would sell Kratom in Wayne.
After pointing out that the township was only considering issuing an advisory, Zelov asked if regulations could come to Lower Merion; McGuire responded, “If we need to.”
“I’m hopeful that the state will move faster and that there will be some movement on some of these bills and that that will take over it for the whole state rather than just continuing to legislate it township by township by zoning. But certainly we can do that,” McGuire said.
Commissioner Gilda L. Kramer expressed support for the township putting out the notice.
“This (Kratom) is quite dangerous, and there are many locations around the country that have banned it altogether, and I think it’s important for everyone, including parents, to know about the risks of this, especially for their children, because there doesn’t seem to be a real age limitation for purchasing this at all. So I think this is very important to get this public information out there,” Kramer said.
Following the discussion, the health committee approved making a recommendation for the board to approve the notice.