NEW YORK KRATOM HEARINGS THIS MONTH: COLUMBIA, WARREN, ULSTER AND HERKIMER COUNTY

Four New York counties are taking up kratom between November 10 and 20, and some of the proposals would ban botanical kratom outright. Columbia County’s public hearing on Proposed Local Law 6-2026 is tomorrow night, Tuesday, November 10 at 7:00 PM ET, so call Clerk of the Board Kelly Baccaro today at 518-828-1527 to be added to the public comment list. Warren County’s hearing is Friday, November 20, and its Board typically votes later on the same agenda, so a vote could happen the same day. New York state law already sets 21+ and labeling rules for kratom, so there is no reason for counties to go further with blanket bans. Contact the county for the meeting nearest you before it happens (one email per county, include your town), attend if you can, and share this with friends and family in these four counties.

At a Glance

⚠️ Columbia: proposed local law on the agenda. Check the text. The ask is to protect adult access to botanical kratom.

🚫 Warren: proposed ban on kratom sales, including natural leaf. Oppose. The vote could happen the same day as the hearing.

✅ Ulster: proposed law targets synthetic 7-OH and adds 21+, with no botanical ban. Support as written.

🚫 Herkimer: proposed ban on kratom sales, including natural leaf. Oppose.

1. Columbia County: Tuesday, November 10 at 7:00 PM ET

Public hearing on Proposed Local Law 6-2026 (kratom) and the Full Board of Supervisors meeting, both listed for 7:00 PM. Public comment is on the agenda.

📍 401 State Street, Hudson, NY 12534

📋 Meeting page with the agenda, notice, and proposed law: columbiacountyny.gov/174/Upcoming-Meeting-Information

Ask: protect adult access to botanical kratom.

Contact the Supervisors before the meeting: columbiacountyny.gov/163/Board-of-Supervisors (all 23 supervisors are listed by town)

How to be heard:

📞 Call today to be added to the public comment list: Clerk of the Board Kelly Baccaro, 518-828-1527

📧 Email written comments: Kelly.Baccaro@columbiacountyny.gov

✉️ Mail: Board of Supervisors, 401 State Street, Hudson, NY 12534

2. Warren County: Friday, November 20 at 10:00 AM ET

Public hearing on Proposed Local Law 9 (kratom) at the start of the Board of Supervisors meeting.

⚠️ The Board typically votes later on the same agenda as the hearing, so the vote could happen the same day. The Glens Falls Chronicle reported on Warren’s hearing and vote timing. Contact the Supervisors before Friday.

📍 Warren County Municipal Center, 1340 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845

📺 Livestream: youtube.com/@WarrenCountyNewYork

Ask: protect adult access to botanical kratom and target concentrated synthetic 7-OH.

Contact the Supervisors before the meeting: warrencountyny.gov/bos (all 20 supervisors with phone numbers and email forms)

Email all supervisors with one message: warrencountyny.gov/bos/contact-all

How to be heard:

🗣 To speak: attend. The Board grants privilege of the floor to anyone who wishes to speak.

📧 Written comments: Clerk of the Board Amanda Allen, allena@warrencountyny.gov | 518-761-7656

✉️ Mail: Board of Supervisors, Warren County Municipal Center, 1340 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845

3. Ulster County: Tuesday, November 17 at 7:00 PM ET

Proposed Local Law 16 targets specified 7-OH concentrations and adds a 21+ age limit. It is not a botanical ban. Arrive early to sign up to speak.

📍 Legislative Chambers, 6th Floor, 244 Fair Street, Kingston, NY 12401

📺 Livestream: vimeo.com/ulstercountylegislature

Ask: pass it as written and reject any amendment that turns it into a ban.

Contact the Legislators before the meeting: legislature.ulstercountyny.gov/legislators

How to be heard:

🗣 To speak: arrive early and sign up to speak.

📝 Submit public comment any time with the online form at legislature.ulstercountyny.gov/public-comments. It asks for your name, town or city, email, phone, topic, and message.

📧 Or email Clerk Victoria Fabella: vfab@ulstercountyny.gov

📞 Phone: (845) 340-3900

✉️ Mail: Ulster County Legislature, PO Box 1800, Kingston, NY 12402

4. Herkimer County: Wednesday, November 18 at 6:15 PM ET

Public hearing on Proposed Local Law D, a kratom sales prohibition. The Legislature’s regular session follows at 7:00 PM.

📍 Herkimer County Legislature Chambers, 109 Mary Street, Herkimer, NY 13350 (virtual option to be determined)

Ask: do not ban. Regulate natural leaf and target concentrated synthetic 7-OH.

Contact the Legislators before the meeting: herkimercountyny.gov/government/county-legislature (all 17 legislators with phone numbers and emails)

How to be heard:

🗣 Before the meeting is called to order, give your name and a brief description of your topic to Clerk Brittney Viscomi.

🎤 When called, state your name and address. Remarks are limited to five minutes.

🏛 Herkimer County residents can also speak under “Comments by Residents” at the 7:00 PM regular session, with the same name sign-up and five-minute limit (30 minutes total).

📧 Email written comments before the hearing: bviscomi@herkimercountyny.gov

📞 Phone: 315-867-1108

✉️ Mail: Herkimer County Legislature, 109 Mary Street, Suite 1310, Herkimer, NY 13350

Comment Emails (Send Each County Separately and Include Your Town)

📧 Columbia: Kelly.Baccaro@columbiacountyny.gov

📧 Warren: allena@warrencountyny.gov

📧 Ulster: vfab@ulstercountyny.gov

📧 Herkimer: bviscomi@herkimercountyny.gov

What to Say

Keep it personal, brief, and respectful. Use these points as a guide:

Regulate, do not ban. Protect adult access to natural kratom leaf under New York’s existing 21+ and labeling rules.

Target the real problem: concentrated synthetic 7-OH and chemically altered products, as federal and state action already does.

Share your story and your connection to the county.

Why County Bans Go Too Far

New York state law already sets a 21+ age limit and labeling rules for kratom. A county ban on botanical kratom goes beyond what the state has chosen to do and sweeps natural leaf into a prohibition meant for dangerous synthetic products.

Federal regulators have drawn a clear line between natural kratom leaf and concentrated synthetic 7-OH. The DEA has moved to schedule concentrated synthetic 7-OH, and updated HHS recommendations set thresholds designed to separate trace, naturally occurring alkaloids from intentionally enhanced products. Ulster’s proposal follows that approach by targeting specified 7-OH concentrations and adding 21+. That is the model the other counties should follow.

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 New York and other states, visit our kratom legality map. Learn more about kratom legality and regulation nationwide.

The Bigger Picture

Nothing is final yet. County decisions in New York can influence what other counties and states consider next. Officials in all four counties are hearing from people on both sides, and the ones who show up and write in are the ones who shape the outcome.

Start with Columbia. Call the Clerk today at 518-828-1527 to be added to public comment for the November 10 hearing. Then contact the supervisors in Warren before its November 20 hearing, since a vote could happen the same day. Email each county with your town included, and attend if you can.

Share this with everyone you know in Columbia, Warren, Ulster, and Herkimer counties.