COUNTY BOARD APPROVES STRICT KRATOM BAN IMPACTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

PITTSFIELD — The Pike County Illinois Board has approved a sweeping ordinance banning the sale, possession and use of kratom, phenibut and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products throughout Pike County Illinois.

Ordinance 2026-01 was passed Monday, February 23. The measure declares the substances a significant health and safety issue, stating they are known to cause serious health problems and, in some cases, death. While the products remain legal and largely unregulated at the state and federal level, the Pike County Board moved to prohibit them locally.

Under the ordinance, no person may purchase, possess, distribute or otherwise utilize kratom, phenibut or 7-OH products within Pike County Illinois. Violations carry fines of up to $200 for a first offense, increasing to as much as $650 for repeat violations.

Businesses found in violation may also face fines of up to $650 per occurrence. The ordinance also includes court-supervised education programs, substance abuse assessments and mandatory community service as alternative penalties for some offenses.

The ban is expected to significantly affect at least two businesses in Pittsfield where these products represent a notable portion of available inventory.

Nathan Davis of Smoke Signals in Pittsfield criticized the board’s decision.

“I find it very disappointing that the board made such a rash decision without any real knowledge to base their verdict on,” Davis said. “Tabling the vote until after they were educated makes common sense, but being fed lies from the person from Chain Breakers is absurd. It’s natural and has been used for centuries by other cultures. They affected responsible adults in this community that use it for its intended purposes.” He added, “It’s not about my business. It’s about the people in the community that I was trying my best to help. Now they will be sent elsewhere to people that do not put in the research or the care to find the best product on the market that is untampered with.”

Consumer advocacy groups such as the American Kratom Association describe kratom as a natural botanical that has been used traditionally in Southeast Asia for generations and advocate for its legal and safe access in the United States. The organization says kratom behaves as a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist and is used by some for pain management, energy, depression or anxiety relief, and may serve as a harm-reduction tool for some individuals dealing with opioid dependency. Advocates also work to provide scientific information and guidelines for consumer safety and quality standards.

At the same time, federal health authorities including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continue to warn consumers that kratom is not an FDA-approved medical treatment, its safety profile is not fully established, and unregulated products may vary widely in potency and purity. Substances containing high levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine have drawn particular scrutiny and calls for tighter regulation due to their potent opioid-like effects.

Supporters of the Pike County ordinance argue local action is necessary to protect public health, but no opposing expert testimony was presented during the ordinance’s approval process, and no testimony from other consumers or retailers was included in the official announcement following passage.

The ordinance will be enforced by law enforcement officers within Pike County Illinois. Citations may be reviewed by the Pike County Code Hearing Officer and, if necessary, referred to the Pike County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The action places Pike County Illinois among a limited number of local jurisdictions choosing to regulate substances that remain legal under current state and federal law.

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