Over-the-counter drug

The Plymouth Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to advance an ordinance banning kratom sales township-wide, citing addiction risks and concerns about access for teens and young adults. Kratom, a plant-based substance that mimics opioid effects, is sold openly at smoke shops and gas stations, often marketed alongside nutritional supplements and energy drinks, which officials say makes it easy for parents to overlook. Police Chief James Knittel said the township has seen cases of kratom combined with alcohol or other narcotics leading to heroin-like addiction issues, and warned the substance appears to particularly target high school and college-age users.

Under the proposed ordinance, violating businesses would face escalating civil fines from $1,000 up to $7,500, with potential misdemeanor charges for continued noncompliance. A final vote is scheduled for October 27. Plymouth Township joins Canton and Clinton Township, which already restrict kratom sales to adults 21 and older. At the state level, Michigan lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 1181, targeting synthetic 7-OH products and lab testing, and House Bill 5537, which would ban kratom sales statewide and has passed the House.