The city of Eldorado has passed an ordinance banning the sale and delivery of kratom in the city. The decision is meant to safeguard public health and safety, the city council said in media reports.
Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia and contains compounds with stimulant and opiod-like effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned of kratom’s dangers including addiction, liver toxicity, seizures and possible death. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute on Drug Abuse have also highlighted increased emergency room visits linked to the plant.
Eldorado city officials cited health-related incidents involving kratom as a reason for the ban.