CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Waive the first reading and pass the ordinance amending Sections 3-3 and 3-6 of the Naperville Municipal Code to prohibit the retail sale of kratom
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DEPARTMENT: Legal Department
SUBMITTED BY: Jennifer Bonner, Senior Assistant City Attorney
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
On July 9, 2026, the Liquor Commission unanimously recommended prohibiting the retail sale of kratom. Attached are the July 9, 2026 Liquor Commission meeting minutes.
BACKGROUND:
On September 3, 2019, the City Council adopted an ordinance that restricted youth access to kratom. The measure prohibited the local retail sale of kratom to individuals under 21 and barred possession by those under 18. This action supplemented the Illinois Kratom Control Act by establishing a local minimum sales age of 21 while aligning possession prohibitions with state law.
Kratom is derived from the leaves of a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia.
The leaves can be brewed as tea, crushed into powder, smoked, snorted, or taken in capsules or tablets. People have used kratom as a mood enhancer, energy booster, and pain reliever, and some advocates claim it may help with opioid withdrawal.
However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against its use due to risks such as liver toxicity, seizures, and substance use disorder.
Several municipalities have responded to rising kratom use by adopting tighter controls.
Rockford prohibits the sale of synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) kratom products, while Winnetka, Plainfield and Bloomington have implemented full retail sale bans.
DISCUSSION:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued multiple warning letters regarding the unlawful addition of synthetic 7-OH to commercial kratom products. This concentrated form can exceed the potency of morphine, significantly increasing the risk of rapid tolerance, severe substance use disorder, and accidental overdose. Laboratory testing frequently ...
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