Massachusetts bans kratom as Schedule I drug; Northampton, Easthampton adapt to statewide prohibition

Health departments in Northampton and Easthampton are responding to Massachusetts' recent classification of kratom as a Schedule I Controlled Substance, a designation that makes possession and sale of the substance illegal statewide.

Governor Maura Healey announced the emergency order on August 13, effective August 28. The ruling came from the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health and aims to restrict kratom sales and educate the public about health risks while connecting users with treatment services. Kratom, sold in powder, tablet, capsule and other forms, had been widely available in convenience stores, smoke shops and gas stations with little oversight.

Northampton took the lead locally by adopting Board of Health regulations prohibiting kratom and other unregulated intoxicating products in 2025, ahead of the state action. Merridith O'Leary, health commissioner for the Northampton Department of Health and Human Services, said the city moved early after receiving a report from Hampshire County Police Department about a young adult who overdosed after using a kratom product purchased at a Northampton retail store.

"From our perspective in Northampton, we had already seen firsthand how widely available these products had become and how little oversight existed over their sale," O'Leary said. She explained that the department reviewed products being sold locally, examined their labeling and active ingredients, and researched potential health effects.

Kratom use can cause sedation, confusion, hallucinations, respiratory depression, kidney and liver injury, and cardiac problems, according to health officials. Regular use can lead to physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms similar to opioid withdrawal. Under state law, possession, distribution or sale of Schedule I Controlled Substances without a state Controlled Substances Registration is illegal, and violators face imprisonment or fines.

Northampton health inspectors have conducted compliance checks with local retailers since the Board of Health adopted its regulation. O'Leary emphasized the importance of the state's response because municipal regulations alone cannot prevent consumers from purchasing kratom across town lines. "Without statewide regulation, consumers can purchase the same products in a neighboring community," she said.

O'Leary stressed that the state must prepare for increased demand for treatment services as access to kratom changes. "The state's approach recognizes that enforcement, education, prevention, treatment and recovery support all need to work together," she said. Easthampton Director of Public Health Ryan Griffin said a community health worker brought kratom literature to the Board of Health in April for consideration as the city was finalizing tobacco regulations.