Revere Board of Health moves to regulate, possibly ban kratom sales

By Barbara Taormina

The Board of Health voted unanimously at their meeting last week to begin the process of regulating and possibly banning the sale of kratom in Revere. At the board’s February meeting, Director of Public Health Lauren Buck presented a brief overview of kratom, and the board’s options for addressing public health concerns.

Kratom comes from the leaves of a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. People chew the leaves or crush and brew them into tea for pain relief and mood enhancement. In low doses, Kratom can function as a stimulant, increasing energy, and in higher doses it acts as a sedative, helping users feel calmer and less anxious. It has also been used for pain management, and some people have used kratom to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms. However, kratom’s effectiveness in reducing opioid cravings has not been thoroughly evaluated.

“The products available in the United States are much more concentrated and potent formulations than what are used in traditional medicine in Southeast Asia,” Buck told the board.

Kratom comes with a variety of side effects. Buck mentioned confusion, nausea, itching, sweating, dry mouth and constipation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kratom is responsible for 91 deaths, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a public health advisory in 2017 that identified kratom as a drug of concern.

Buck also described seven municipalities that have banned kratom sales. She outlined enforcement and fine structures in the City of Lowell and the Town of Canton, which would be similar to fines for stores selling tobacco products to minors.

Buck said the Health Department surveyed 40 Revere businesses and found three selling Kratom products, such as seltzer energy drinks, vapes and capsules. “The problem doesn’t seem super-entrenched in Revere at this time,” said Buck.

She added that during the last two years Massachusetts Poison Control has received zero calls from the Revere area regarding kratom. There were 48 kratom calls from the entire state.

Board member Kathleen Savage raised the issue of natural or whole leaf kratom vs. synthetic kratom. The natural form of kratom is made directly from the plant leaves, while synthetic kratom is a chemical mix made in a lab. Natural kratom is considered safer.

Still, Savage and fellow board member Viviana Catano favored a kratom ban in Revere. “We need to jump on this,” she said. “My fear is that if one person dies, will they try to sue the city because we weren’t proactive in banning it.”

Board Chairman Dr. Drew Bunker acknowledged there is a difference between natural and synthetic kratom but said the concern is that the board doesn’t know the content of products on the shelves at local stores. “I’m not a proponent, but people have a right to take natural kratom if they want,” said Bunker.

But Catano and Savage said the lack of regulation is a significant concern. They both felt banning kratom sales in Revere is the best option.

Buck said the next step is to work with the city’s policy writer and the city solicitor to develop a city ordinance. Next would be a public hearing on a kratom ban with specific rules and fines for stores selling kratom products. Buck told the board they could amend and adjust the proposed ordinance as it moves through the process.