A Board of Health Ban

Members voted to prohibit the manufacturing, sale and distribution of Kratom and Kratom-containing products

By Mark E. Vogler

At the outset of Monday’s public hearing, Board of Health Chair Maria Tamagna admitted that Kratom was “something I knew very little about three weeks ago.” But over those past three weeks, Tamagna said, she and her fellow board members “got a little education…”

“Myself and the board has been inundated with emails from people who have very strong opinions on whether or not we should ban or not ban sales and manufacturing of Kratom-containing products,” she said.

What they learned about Kratom – a tree-like plant indigenous to Southeast Asia, which produces stimulant and sedative effects when orally ingested in tablet, capsule or extract form – influenced their decision to vote 4-1 in favor a ban on the sale, distribution and manufacturing of all products containing Kratom, whether natural or synthetic. Dr. Anthony Bakopolus was the lone member opposing the ban.

“It seems Big Brotherish to me,” Bakopolus told his colleagues.

“I don’t want to take shots at people from hearsay. I want to see documents. I don’t see how you can ban a natural substance because it can be used to make more powerful substances,” he said.

But Board Member Joseph Dorant had misgivings with Bakopolus’ explanation. “Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous and harmful,” Dorant said, adding “there’s a lack of guard rails” to protect the public from Kratom.

The regulation approved by the Board of Health in its statement of purpose noted “Use of Kratom can lead to psychotic symptoms and psychological and physiological dependence because it contains mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, two major psychoactive ingredients.”

The document also noted that Kratom is not regulated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the federal government and that “several instances of abuse and overdose have been documented across the United States.”

Veteran Board of Health Member Joia Cicolini emphasized “what we’re banning is the sale – not the use.”

“We just want it to be safe for our community overall. There’s no age restriction,” she said.

Chair Tamagna expressed the concern shared by most of the members – that children were at risk. The board members need to be concerned about any kind of substance that gets somebody high and can be addictive.

“I’m very much in favor of banning the sale in our town,” Tamagna said.

“I don’t want it available to the young people. I’d like to go ahead with the ban,” she said.

“I don’t want it available to a child. People who need it for pain management, they will be able to get it,” she said.

Director of Public Health John R. Fralick III noted there have been instances of overdose and instances of death related to consumption of Kratom products. “We’re trying to do what’s in the best interests of the residents of Saugus,” Fralick said.

Saugus resident Michael Fisher tried to make a case that the board should not be grouping natural Kratom products with synthetic products. “The big misconception is people grouping these together when they are not the same,” Fisher said.

He said the 7-OH products “are definitely bad and should be banned.” He argued that natural Kratom presents a minimal threat and presented a one-page information sheet, which differentiated between natural Kratom and synthetic products containing Kratom.

Joyce Redford, the director of the North Shore/Cape Ann Tobacco Alcohol Policy Program, called products containing Kratom “very dangerous.”

“I support the board’s desire to restrict this completely,” she said. “They shouldn’t be in a convenience store.”

Redford was glad to see the ban approved, noting, “My family lives here. I grew up here.”