Detroit City Council sends kratom ban resolution back to committee, wants more info before supporting statewide ban

The Detroit City Council voted Tuesday to send a resolution supporting a statewide kratom ban back to its Public Health and Safety Standing Committee, saying it needs more information before deciding whether to back the proposal.

The resolution, authored by Council Member Angela Whitfield-Calloway, would have supported Michigan House Bill 5537, a Republican backed bill that would ban the production, sale and distribution of kratom and its variants in Michigan. Instead of taking a position, council members voted to hold the resolution in committee and learn more about Michigan Senate Bill 1181, a proposal introduced last month by State Senator John Cherry that would regulate kratom rather than ban it.

Council members also said they want to understand the differences between natural leaf kratom and synthetic variants, such as 7 OH. Health officials have expressed concern about those products.

The decision came after public commenters spoke in favor of natural leaf kratom and against a blanket ban. Many described chronic pain, addiction, depression and financial hardship, and said kratom gave them relief when prescriptions, physical therapy and other treatments failed.

Daniel Kelly, a Metro Detroit resident, told council members he broke his spine in 2018 weeks before his daughter was born and struggled for years with pain. He said natural leaf kratom, not prescribed painkillers or synthetic variants, allowed him to walk on his worst days and pick up his daughter for the first time after three years.

"That plant gave me my family back," Kelly said.

Another caller, who did not identify themselves, asked council members not to support a ban.

"Imagine what it's like being terrified to be thrown in prison only because you wanted to control pain long enough so that you could live, work, and sleep and raise your children," the caller said.

Kratom is an herbal substance made from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tree native to Southeast Asia. It can be consumed by chewing the leaves, drinking it as a liquid or taking it in manufactured products such as pills. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, small amounts can produce stimulant-like effects, while larger doses can produce opioid-like effects used for relaxation, pain relief and support during drug withdrawals.

Supporters at the meeting said natural leaf kratom is different from synthetic products and said the state should regulate kratom through age limits, testing and other consumer protections rather than ban it outright. Several pointed to Senate Bill 1181 as a better approach.

Whitfield-Calloway acknowledged that she was still learning about the issue.

"I want to note for the record that this is a multi-billion dollar business, and folks are committing suicide," she said. "Whether it's the natural, I don't know. I don't know that much about it, but just listening today and reading what I've read in the last month or so, I'm being more informed and educated."

Kratom critics, including at least one commenter at the meeting, warned of the dangers of the substance, including addiction, adverse health effects and possible death. While some deaths reported across the country have been linked to kratom, many have been tied to synthetic products such as 7 OH.

The council's Public Health and Safety Standing Committee will take up the resolution again in two weeks, after a break for Indigenous Peoples' Day. The council will hear more information about Senate Bill 1181 and the distinctions between natural and synthetic kratom before deciding whether to support the statewide ban.