BROCKTON KRATOM BAN: ORDINANCE HEARING IS TONIGHT AT 6:30 PM — SHOW UP NOW

The Brockton Ordinance Committee is holding a hearing tonight on an ordinance that would ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of all kratom products within city limits. Showing up in person is the most powerful action you can take. Here's everything you need to know right now.

Take Action Now

• 📅 Tonight — Tuesday, May 5 at 6:30 PM ET

• 📍 City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 45 School St., Brockton, MA 02301

• 🔗 Meeting agenda: brockton.ma.us

Can't attend? Call and email every council member individually today.

Brockton City Council — Call and Email Individually

• Lead Sponsor Councilmember Jeffrey Thompson — (857) 237-9620 | jthompson@cobma.us

• Councilmember Marlon Green — (508) 897-6881 | mgreen@cobma.us

• Councilmember Carla DaRosa — (508) 897-6888 | cdarosa@cobma.us

• Councilmember Jeff Charnel — (508) 897-6889 | jcharnel@cobma.us

• Councilmember Winthrop Farwell Jr. — (508) 272-9880 | wfarwell@cobma.us

• Councilmember David Teixeira — (508) 277-2928 | dcteixeira@cobma.us

• Councilmember Maria Tavares — (774) 223-8801 | mtavares@cobma.us

• Councilmember Philip Griffin — (508) 944-0415 | pgriffin@cobma.us

• Councilmember Susan Nicastro — (508) 897-1314 | snicastro@cobma.us

• Councilmember John Lally — (508) 410-0330 | jlally@cobma.us

• Councilmember Shirley Asack — (508) 451-1632 | sasack@cobma.us

What to Say

Write and speak in your own words. Share your personal story — it is what local lawmakers remember most. Make these points:

• You are opposing the proposed ordinance banning kratom in Brockton

• Please distinguish between natural botanical kratom leaf, which has a long history of safe use, and dangerous synthetic compounds like synthetic 7-OH

• Instead of prohibition, adopt a smart regulatory framework like the Kratom Consumer Protection Act — 21+ age restrictions, clear labeling, and mandatory product safety testing

• A total ban punishes responsible adults and drives products into dangerous, unregulated markets

• Share your personal story — how natural kratom has positively impacted your life

What the Proposed Ordinance Would Do

The proposed ordinance would ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of all kratom products within Brockton city limits. Brockton is not alone in this — municipalities across Massachusetts including Lowell and Amherst have implemented their own bans while a statewide decision remains at a crossroads in the Legislature.

If passed, the ordinance would mean:

• Total retail ban — kratom products would be removed from the shelves of all local convenience stores, smoke shops, and gas stations

• Loss of regulated access — a total ban eliminates access to lab-tested, unadulterated products, potentially pushing consumers toward an unregulated black market

• Legal risks — violations can result in fines up to $1,000 per offense for businesses or individuals caught distributing kratom

There is no distinction between natural kratom leaf and the synthetic, adulterated concentrates that federal regulators have actually identified as the real public health concern. No consumer protections. No age restrictions. No labeling requirements. Just prohibition.

The FDA has drawn a clear line between natural kratom and synthetic 7-OH products, identifying enhanced 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) concentrates as the real concern, not natural kratom leaf. The AHPA has similarly warned against conflating 7-OH with natural kratom. As research discussed on the Huberman Lab podcast and confirmed by an FDA study makes clear, these are fundamentally different products. A blanket ban ignores all of that and punishes the wrong people.

A total ban does not protect consumers. It pushes them toward unregulated sources and ignores the real problem entirely.

The Right Path Forward

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act, adopted in 18 states, is the proven framework for addressing legitimate public health concerns without criminalization. It combines lab testing requirements, age restrictions, clear labeling, and limits on synthetic alkaloids. It targets the products that pose real risks while keeping natural kratom accessible to responsible adults.

Brockton has the opportunity to do this right. A smart regulatory framework protects consumers and addresses legitimate public health concerns without turning responsible adults into criminals.

The Bigger Picture — Massachusetts at a Crossroads

Brockton's hearing is happening against a significant backdrop. Massachusetts is actively debating two very different paths for kratom policy at the state level:

• Senate Bill 1558 — proposes a total statewide ban on kratom

• House Bill 5127 — would regulate the industry with age restrictions and lab testing requirements

The statewide debate has been accelerated by Connecticut's recent move to ban kratom, which has put pressure on Massachusetts municipalities to act locally while the Legislature weighs its options. Several communities have already moved:

• Lowell — ban effective January 2025

• Amherst — ban effective April 2026

• Boston — City Council actively drafting a ban ordinance

• Brockton — hearing tonight, May 5

The Ordinance Committee hearing follows the Public Safety Committee meeting at 6:00 PM — consumers who show up early may be able to observe both.

What is happening in Brockton is not isolated. It is part of a statewide trend that will ultimately be shaped by whether consumers show up and make their voices heard at the local level — or whether prohibition becomes the default answer across Massachusetts.

States and localities that have chosen regulation over prohibition have consistently produced better outcomes for consumers and public health alike. House Bill 5127 represents the right approach at the state level. Brockton's Ordinance Committee can reflect that same thinking tonight.

Show up tonight at 6:30 PM ET. If you cannot attend, call and email every council member individually. For the latest on kratom legality in Massachusetts and other states, visit our kratom legality map.

The hearing is tonight. There is no time to wait.