SUFFOLK COUNTY KRATOM BAN: PUBLIC HEARING APRIL 21 — YOUR VOICE CAN STOP IT

Suffolk County legislators have introduced a resolution to ban the sale and distribution of kratom countywide, going further than New York State's own statewide regulations. A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 at 9:30 AM, and in-person testimony from real consumers is the most powerful action Long Island kratom advocates can take. Here's what the proposal would do, why it gets it wrong, and exactly what you can do before April 21.

Take Action Now

Attending the hearing in person is the most impactful action you can take. Public testimony from real consumers is what moves local lawmakers.

• 📅 Tuesday, April 21 at 9:30 AM ET

• 📍 Rose Caracappa Auditorium, William H. Rogers Building #20, 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown, NY 11787

• 📞 Contact your legislators: scnylegislature.us/148/Legislators

• ⚡ Fastest outreach tool: globalkratomcoalition.org/advocacy-buddy

If you cannot attend, call and email your legislators directly and share your personal story. Every message counts.

What to Say

Write and speak in your own words. Make these points:

• You are opposing the ban on natural kratom leaf in Suffolk County

• New York State already passed statewide kratom regulations in 2025, a county-level ban is redundant and harmful

• Criminalizing the sale and distribution of a legal, regulated product punishes responsible adults

• You support reasonable regulation that protects consumers, not prohibition

• If kratom has supported your wellness, share your personal story, local lawmakers respond to real constituents

What the Proposal Would Do

Introduced on March 10, 2026 by Legislators Mazzarella, Kennedy, Renna, Lennon, and Richberg, the resolution would amend the Suffolk County Code to ban the sale and distribution of kratom to any person regardless of age. That is not a typo. The proposal goes beyond restricting sales to minors. It would make it illegal to sell or distribute natural kratom leaf to any adult in Suffolk County.

The legislative intent section of the bill argues that New York State's existing statewide regulations "do not go far enough" and calls for an outright ban. It also cites concerns from law enforcement and claims that residents have expressed concerns about kratom's dangers to children, despite the fact that New York State already passed an age restriction law in 2025 that Suffolk County's own earlier ordinance helped pioneer.

What the bill does not address is the distinction between natural kratom leaf and synthetic 7-OH products. The FDA has drawn a clear line between the two, identifying enhanced 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) concentrates as the real public health 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-supervised dosage study makes clear, these are fundamentally different products. A blanket ban ignores all of that.

Why This Ban Gets It Wrong

New York State took meaningful steps in 2025 to regulate kratom at the state level. Suffolk County's proposal does not build on those protections. It bypasses them entirely in favor of outright prohibition. That approach is not supported by the current science or by the direction federal regulators have taken.

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. That is the standard Suffolk County should be working toward, not a blanket ban that strips responsible adults of access to a legal, regulated product.

The Bigger Picture

Local bans set local precedent, and that precedent matters. States and counties that have chosen regulation over prohibition have consistently produced better outcomes for consumers and public health alike. Suffolk County has an opportunity to do the same on April 21.

Show up if you can. Contact your legislators at scnylegislature.us/148/Legislators if you cannot. Use Advocacy Buddy to send a personalized message in minutes. For the latest on kratom legality in New York and other states, visit our kratom legality map.

The hearing is April 21. Start making noise now.