Manchester aldermen are weighing an ordinance that would bar the use, possession, purchase, sale, delivery and public display of kratom products across the city, a proposal that has prompted debate among elected officials, public health staff and business owners.
What the ordinance would do
The measure, introduced by Aldermen Bill Barry and Kelly Thomas, would make kratom illegal within Manchester city limits. City health staff said kratom is a tropical plant whose chemical compounds affect the central nervous system and that, at high doses, it can mimic the effects of opioids.
- Scope: The proposed ordinance targets sale, possession and public display of kratom products.
- Local context: Kratom is widely available at gas stations, vape shops and convenience stores, according to city officials.
- Recent legislative history: A New Hampshire Senate bill earlier this year that would have made synthetic and semisynthetic kratom illegal failed to advance.
The ordinance authors wrote in a memo to fellow board members that modern retail kratom products often come with no oversight on manufacturing, dosing or labeling, leaving consumers unable to tell the strength of a product from one batch to another.
“Kratom is a natural therapeutic as it stands on its own, but when it's interacted with many other drugs and whatnot, it certainly does become dangerous. There's no question that this needs to be off our streets, I just want to make sure that we are following the proper, vetted process to get this done,” said Alderman Norm Vincent.
Arguments and concerns
Supporters of the ban say unregulated products pose a risk because they can act like opioids at high doses and the retail market lacks manufacturing and labeling standards. Barry and Thomas wrote the ordinance because they are concerned consumers assume kratom is safe when marketed as a “natural remedy.”
Some aldermen urged caution, seeking input from the city clerk's office, the Police Department, the Health Department and the solicitor's office before moving forward. Alderman Norm Vincent said he wanted the city to follow a “proper, vetted process” rather than adopt a blanket ordinance without coordination among departments.
Next steps
The board has not yet scheduled a final vote. City staff and the solicitor's office are expected to review the proposal and advise aldermen on enforcement mechanisms and legal implications should the ordinance move forward.
State lawmakers debated kratom earlier this year but did not enact a statewide ban. If Manchester adopts a local ordinance, it would make the possession and sale of the substance unlawful within the city's jurisdiction regardless of the state outcome.
