South Street Gas Station Pulls Kratom Sign Ahead of Statewide Ban

Starting tomorrow, Friday, August 28, kratom will be illegal to sell anywhere in Massachusetts. The Department of Public Health made the call, and Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein signed the order on August 13. That gave stores a 14-day notice before the ban kicks in.

Kratom is a plant from Southeast Asia. People often use it for pain relief or energy, but it can also cause dependence and even overdose. It has been sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores in powders, gummies, capsules, and drink form. Some people liken the experience to being on opiates.

Governor Healey's office says the goal is safety. Right now, there is no way for buyers to know how strong a product is or what is actually in it. The ban will last up to one year while the state and local towns figure out longer-term rules.

Not everyone is relieved about this as it's known that some drug users have sought out Kratom to ween off of harder drugs.

“We may end up unintentionally putting them at risk,” said Dr. Jennifer Michaels, medical director of The Brien Center, which provides substance abuse services in the Berkshires. She said the ban sounds like a good thing, but that it must be balanced with providing support and treatment toward recovery. “My biggest worry is that they will turn to substances like street opioid pills or heroin or fentanyl,” Michaels said. “That's terrifying to contemplate.” -berkshireeagle.com

I saw this firsthand yesterday. I stopped by the Sunoco gas station on South Street, which used to have a Kratom sign right in the window. The sign is gone now. I talked to the clerk, and he told me the store could still legally sell kratom right up until today, August 27. He said he took the sign down early just to get ahead of it. He also said most of his regular kratom customers already knew this ban was coming, since it has been in the news for weeks.

Starting tomorrow, if a store keeps selling kratom, they could face fines or even jail time.