SPOKANE, WA – Citing a “vertical spike” in calls to the poison center, Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown proposed Monday banning the sale of an addictive, plant-based product proliferating the legal market.
Several major cities and states have banned Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical tree referred to as kratom, which provides users with a potent opioid-like effect. The state and federal governments don’t regulate it, so anyone can buy the plant at gas stations, smoke shops and other retailers, including coffee shops.
The Spokane Police Department and the mayor’s policy advisor briefed the Spokane City Council on a proposal to outlaw the sale of kratom on Monday. Sarah McNew, a coalition coordinator with the West Spokane Wellness Partnership, said it would make them the first city in the state to regulate kratom…