Sarasota County Reflects on a Decade of Kratom Ban

Nearly a decade has passed since Sarasota County, Florida, became the first and only county in the state to ban Kratom, a Southeast Asian tea leaf known for its stimulating effects. The ban, unanimously passed by the Sarasota County Commission in 2014, classified Kratom alongside synthetic cannabis as a “designer drug.” This decision came amidst growing popularity of Kratom in the United States, where it’s estimated that 11 to 15 million Americans regularly consume the substance.

Kratom, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, has leaves that produce stimulating effects at low doses and sedative effects at high doses. Despite its traditional use in Southeast Asia, the substance has been under scrutiny in the U.S. In 2016, the DEA temporarily listed Kratom as a Schedule I drug, later revising its stance to classify it as a “drug of concern.”

The ban in Sarasota County imposes a fine or a second-degree misdemeanor charge on users, with stricter penalties for stores caught selling Kratom. This regulation reflects ongoing debates about the risks and benefits of Kratom, especially in light of findings from a Tampa Bay Times investigation that linked Kratom to numerous overdose deaths in Florida.

For more details on this story, visit the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.