NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Board of Health is seeking to regulate synthetically derived cannabinoids and kratom and will hold a virtual public hearing Thursday. The board’s draft of a regulation would prohibit the local sale of these products. The hearing will be held over Zoom at 5:30 p.m. and information is available on the city’s website.
According to a statement from Northampton’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), synthetic kratom and synthetic cannabinoids pose serious public health concerns, including the potential for addiction, harmful physical and mental health effects and in severe cases, death. Synthetic cannabinoids differ significantly from cannabis. They are 10 to 100 times stronger, have unpredictable effects and are currently unregulated.
Synthetic kratom products are also unregulated at the federal or state level and may be altered or mixed with other substances, which can also increase the potential for harmful or fatal outcomes, according to a statement from Northampton’s DHHS. This month, the federal government proposed classifying kratom as a Schedule 1 drug along other Schedule 1 drugs such as heroin, ecstasy and LSD.
These products present “an emerging threat” to public health, according to the statement, especially for youth and other vulnerable populations, as they are highly accessible and often lack safeguards like proper labeling, dosage guidelines or ingredient transparency. Under the proposed Northampton regulation, the manufacturing, distribution and sale of synthetically derived cannabinoids or kratom products within the city will be prohibited. Violations will result in fines and possible suspension of Board of Health permits after a hearing.
During the hearing, members of the public will be given two minutes to share their views on the proposed regulation. The public can also submit testimony to the DHHS email address at health-dept@northamptonma.gov.