BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON KRATOM BAN: VOTE IS TONIGHT SEPTEMBER 14 — EMAIL AND CALL IN NOW

Bellingham City Council votes Monday, September 14 at 7:00 PM PT on Mayor Kim Lund's ordinance to ban all kratom and 7-OH products citywide — without distinguishing natural kratom leaf from concentrated synthetic 7-OH. Violations would be a gross misdemeanor — up to 1 year in jail or a $5,000 fine for selling a natural botanical the federal government has not banned.

You do not have to live in Bellingham to help. Email or call in tonight — what happens here sends a signal to every city watching.

Meeting Details

📅 Monday, September 14

⏰ 7:00 PM PT

📍 City Hall, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA

Take Action Now

Step 1 — Email the Full Council RIGHT NOW:

📧 ccmail@cob.org — one email reaches every council member

Step 2 — Call In or Attend Tonight:

📝 Sign up to speak in advance: cob.org/ccsignup

💻 Zoom: cob.org/cczoom

📞 Phone: 253-215-8782 | Meeting ID: 871 5188 5205 | Password: 9

📍 In person: City Hall, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA

What to Say

Share your personal story — what natural kratom leaf means to you. Keep your message respectful and factual. Use these points as a guide:

Oppose the blanket ban — do not criminalize natural kratom leaf.

Natural kratom leaf and concentrated synthetic 7-OH are fundamentally different products.

The DEA has already acted — it scheduled synthetic 7-OH while leaving natural leaf alone. Bellingham should follow that lead.

A gross misdemeanor for a botanical? Up to a year in jail for selling a natural plant the federal government has not banned is not consumer protection — it is criminalization.

Share your story — your voice matters. Tell the Council what natural kratom leaf means to you.

What the Ordinance Would Do — and Why It Gets It Wrong

Mayor Kim Lund's ordinance would ban all kratom and 7-OH products citywide in Bellingham without drawing any distinction between natural kratom leaf and dangerous concentrated synthetic 7-OH products. Violations would be classified as a gross misdemeanor — carrying a penalty of up to 1 year in jail or a $5,000 fine for selling a natural botanical that the federal government has not banned.

That penalty is extreme. It treats a natural botanical the same as the most dangerous synthetic concentrates — without any of the nuance that federal regulators have already applied. The DEA has moved to schedule concentrated synthetic 7-OH while explicitly leaving natural kratom leaf alone. The FDA has specifically recommended that synthetic 7-OH be classified as a controlled substance — not natural kratom leaf. Bellingham's proposed ordinance ignores that distinction entirely.

This is also not just a local issue. Municipal bans create a domino effect. What happens in Bellingham tonight sends a signal to every city council watching across the country. A defeat here matters far beyond city limits.

Kratom advocates have taken this message directly to Washington. In a recent Congressional briefing, advocates urged lawmakers to support natural kratom leaf products while warning of the distinct risks posed by synthetic concentrates — reinforcing the same distinction that federal regulators have already drawn. Read more: Kratom Advocates Brief U.S. Congress in Support of Natural Leaf Products, Warn of the Risks Posed by Synthetics.

As research discussed on the Huberman Lab podcast makes clear, natural kratom leaf has a distinct profile that sets it apart from synthetic concentrates. That distinction was further reinforced by an FDA clinical trial — the first of its kind — which examined kratom's pharmacological profile and underscored why natural leaf should not be treated the same as dangerous synthetic 7-OH. For the latest on kratom legality in Washington and other states, visit our kratom legality map. Learn more about kratom legality and regulation nationwide.

The Bigger Picture

You do not have to live in Bellingham to make a difference tonight. Email ccmail@cob.org right now — one email reaches every council member. Call in or attend the meeting virtually at cob.org/cczoom or by phone at 253-215-8782 using Meeting ID 871 5188 5205 and Password 9. Sign up to speak in advance at cob.org/ccsignup.

If you live in Washington, share this with everyone you know in Bellingham. The more advocates who email and call in tonight, the stronger the signal to the Council.

The vote is Monday, September 14 at 7:00 PM PT. Every email sent and every voice heard before then matters.