Philadelphia’s kratom ban, hemp restrictions take effect Thursday: Here’s what we know

Kratom/Cyclorphine Warnings Go Up Nationwide Our Karen Hepp and Thomas Drayton talk to Dr. Daniel Teixeira Da Silva of the Philadelphia Health Department about two dangerous and addictive drugs.  College campuses are warning their students about the dangers of kratom and cyclorphine after an uptick in overdoses and deaths. The Brief City Council passed the bill on June 4, and Mayor Cherelle Parker signed it on Sept. 15 The ordinance sets new safety and chemistry standards for kratom products and bars sales of covered products to anyone under 21. For hemp, the ordinance doesn’t spell out what it bans. It bans whatever federal law excludes from the definition of hemp. PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia ordinance restricting the sale of intoxicating hemp and kratom products takes effect Thursday, Nov. 12, with violations carrying fines of up to $2,000 a day. MIAMI, FL - MAY 10:  In this photo illustration, capsules of the drug Kratom are seen on May 10, 2016 in Miami, Florida. The herbal supplement is a psychoactive drug derived from the leaves of the kratom plant and it's been reported that people are u Expand What we know: The ordinance, which City Council passed in June and Mayor Cherelle Parker signed in September, adds a new chapter to the city code covering what it calls "intoxicating substances," a category that includes both intoxicating hemp products and kratom products. It treats the two very differently. Kratom: The ordinance makes it unlawful to sell a kratom product that’s been mixed or packed with a non-kratom substance to the point that it’s harmful to a consumer; that contains a kratom extract with solvent residue above a national pharmaceutical standard; that contains more than 2% 7-hydroxymitragynine as a share of its overall alkaloid content; or that contains any synthetic version of those compounds. Hemp: The ordinance makes it unlawful to sell any substance that federal law excludes from the definition of hemp, citing the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. There’s no list of products in the city code and no THC threshold. Both come from federal statute. The ordinance also bars the sale of any intoxicating substance that isn’t approved as a dietary supplement or safe food additive, or that doesn’t have an approved application on file with the federal Food and Drug Administration. And it prohibits selling these products to anyone under 21. Related article Philly leaders target businesses selling kratom and delta-8 products Philadelphia city leaders are aiming to crackdown on nuisance businesses selling kratom and delta-8 products. $2,000 fine Dig deeper: The ordinance treats a violation as what the city code calls a Class III offense, which carries a maximum fine of $2,000. And every day a violation continues to count as a new offense. Permits possible Local perspective: The ordinance creates a retailer permit ($300 to apply, $300 to renew, $50 if you’re late), but only for a fixed storefront that isn’t within 500 feet of a school, public playground, park, swimming pool, recreation center, library or child care facility. On top of that, the bill names roughly 180 commercial corridors and business improvement districts where no permit can be issued at all, including Center City, Old City, Kensington Avenue, Frankford Avenue, 52nd Street, Germantown Avenue and much of the Northeast. Permit holders would also have to get products tested at a federally registered lab licensed in Pennsylvania, and label them to show they pass. However, the ordinance states that the permit section takes effect only once the city issues regulations, which have yet to be announced. Related article Kratom poisonings spikes, what you need to know about the herbal drug An increasingly popular herbal supplement that has already been banned in several states has recently exploded in reported use and led to a massive spike in exposure reports to U.S. poison control centers. Federal dates Big picture view: According to the Congressional Research Service, the amended federal hemp definition arrives in two stages. On Nov. 12, federal law will exclude hemp products containing cannabinoids the cannabis plant can’t produce on its own: the semisynthetic compounds. On Dec. 11, under a continuing resolution Congress passed in September, two more limits will take effect: a 0.3% cap on total THC by weight, and a cap of 0.4 milligrams of THC per container for finished products. CBD Kratom responds What they're saying: CBD Kratom, which says it operates three Philadelphia stores in Center City West, on South Street and in Wynnefield Heights, asked Council to reconsider the bill before Thursday. "We respect the Council’s commitment to consumer safety, but we are concerned this bill moved forward without adequate consideration of the scientific research, industry expertise, and testimony provided by Philadelphia residents who rely on these products," said Jason Brandl, chief operating officer at CBD Kratom, in a June 10 statement. "The goal should be a regulatory framework that protects consumers while preserving a pathway for compliant, responsible operators to continue serving adult consumers." The company argues that requiring FDA approval effectively ends sales of natural-leaf kratom, since no practical approval pathway exists for those products. Related article Kratom: Experts warn over-the-counter supplement can be dangerous, addictive Experts say kratom, an over-the-counter supplement that's not hard to find, can be addictive and lead to the use of drugs. When mixed with other drugs, it can be deadly. What we don't know: Which hemp products are actually off-limits Thursday: Since the city bans whatever federal law excludes, and parts of that federal definition take effect Nov. 12 while others wait until Dec. 11, the ordinance alone doesn’t make clear which hemp products the city considers banned on day one. How enforcement starts: The ordinance includes no grace period and doesn’t say whether the city will inspect stores or respond to complaints. How many businesses are affected: The city hasn’t released a count. What's next: The ordinance takes effect Thursday; the permit system stays on hold until the city writes regulations; and the rest of the federal hemp rules take effect Dec. 11. The Source: The certified copy of Philadelphia Bill No. 260163, Philadelphia Code § 1-109(3) on Class III penalties; Congressional Research Service reports IF13136 and LSB11496; and a June 10, 2026, statement from CBD Kratom. Philadelphia Crime & Public Safety News Health