Manhattan Bans Retail Sale of Kratom, Citing Public Health and Addiction Risks

Manhattan Village Board Meeting | October 21, 2025

Article Summary: The Manhattan Village Board unanimously passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and distribution of kratom, an herbal substance that officials say poses a public health danger. Police Chief Ryan Gulli described it as a “legal way to get high” that can be more potent than heroin.

Kratom Ban Key Points:

• An ordinance was passed to ban the retail sale of kratom in Manhattan.

• Police Chief Ryan Gulli cited addiction risks, comparing its effects to heroin and noting the lack of an overdose reversal agent.

• The ban will take effect after a 30-day notice period for the four or five local businesses currently selling the product.

• The DEA has labeled kratom a “drug and chemical of concern.”

The Manhattan Village Board on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, voted unanimously to ban the retail sale of kratom, an herbal substance with opioid-like effects that officials have labeled a public health concern.

The new ordinance makes it illegal for any business in Manhattan to “manufacture, sell, offer for sale, give away, deliver or distribute any products that contain Kratom.”

Police Chief Ryan Gulli urged the board to approve the ban, explaining that the unregulated substance is being abused as a “legal way to get high.” He shared a stark example of its potency, recounting a recent conversation with a recovering heroin addict. “He spends $18 to $63 to buy a certain amount of kratom that gets him higher than heroin,” Gulli said.

Gulli noted that while Narcan can reverse opioid overdoses, there is no equivalent for kratom. He added that using Narcan on someone who has taken kratom can be detrimental and potentially induce seizures. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has classified kratom as a “drug and chemical of concern.”

Several surrounding states and municipalities have already banned the substance. The ordinance will go into effect after a 30-day notice period is given to the four or five local businesses currently selling kratom products, allowing them time to remove the items from their shelves.

“At some point, we got to put, you know, stop doing profit over people and put the people first,” commented Mayor Mike Adrieansen before the vote.