Iowa City Bans Kratom Sales

The council of Iowa City, IA passed a ban on kratom sales. The new ordinance, effective immediately, prohibits vendors from selling kratom within city limits.

The Iowa City Council recently passed a controversial ordinance banning the sale of kratom within city limits, citing public health concerns and the lack of FDA approval for the substance.

However, it remains legal for people to possess and consume kratom in Iowa City.

This decision came after a heated debate and was accompanied by new regulations limiting where tobacco retailers can operate.

The ordinance passed with a vote of 4-1, with two council members absent. One of the absent members was Andrew Dunn, who recently promised to oppose the ban in favor of regulations.

The single councilor who opposed the ordinance, Megan Alter, was in favor of age restrictions and other regulations. She said at the council meeting, “The bottom line is that it is not illegal and that there have been people who have said, ‘This is working for me'."

"I don't think that we are in a position to say we will ban kratom when we are also allowing cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol," Alter added.

The council has been working on the tobacco regulations for months, aiming to reduce the proliferation of tobacco shops near schools and the University of Iowa.

The meeting took an unexpected turn when Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague claimed that he had received emails opposing the kratom ban that appeared fraudulent. The emails had been sent using the names of a few real Iowa City residents with whom the mayor spoke, who claimed they did not send the emails.

The council is now investigating the source of these emails and considering further actions.