Washington has joined the growing list of Greater Peoria communities that have banned the sale of kratom.
But in Washington's case, the sale of synthetic kratom is no longer allowed while a natural kratom product can be sold — after an independent laboratory test verifies its ingredients.
That caveat in the sale of natural kratom represents a compromise between the city and business owners.
The lab testing requirement will not go into effect for 45 days to give business owners an opportunity to sell their current inventory and find natural kratom suppliers that will have their products tested and be shipped to Illinois, said Washington Police Chief Jeff Stevens.
"Finding suppliers could take time because this is a market where many suppliers don't last. They're short-term businesses," Stevens said.
For the consumer, "Having some trust that the label on the product is correct [will be] bolstered by third-party testing," he said.
Another requirement in an ordinance amendment the Washington City Council unanimously approved Monday blocks businesses such as smoke shops or gas stations that sell natural kratom from allowing anyone under age 21 to even be in the store.
The age limitation has a 45-day delay to give the business time to decide if it wants to operate that way, Stevens said.
The amendment also bans the sale of cannabis other than for medicinal purposes or in a state-regulated cannabis dispensary.
East Peoria, Morton, Pekin, Tremont, Peoria Heights and Bloomington are among the Central Illinois municipalities that have banned the sale of kratom, a leafy plant native to southeast Asia. Most have outlawed the sale of any type of kratom.
Illinois bans the sale of kratom to anyone under age 18 already, but efforts to restrict it further at the state level have failed to gain traction. That’s put the onus on local municipalities to enact their own regulations.
Sold as an energy booster and pain reliever, kratom also is used to treat anxiety and depression. However, an advisory from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that it can cause liver toxicity, seizures and potential addiction.
Tazewell County recorded six deaths from kratom overdoses in 2023, about 18% of the county's total overdose deaths that year.
