Naperville City Council votes to ban kratom sales

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- The Naperville City Council voted 8-0 to ban the sale of natural and synthetic kratom, despite objections from some who said natural versions of the substance provide health benefits.

The ordinance removes kratom products from store shelves in Naperville. However, it allows people age 18 and older to possess and consume the substance.

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Kratom is sold in a variety of forms, including powders, drinks, and capsules. It is commonly available at smoke shops and gas stations.

Councilman Benjamin White said public safety concerns played a key role in his decision to support the ban.

"I've got to lean on the side of public safety before we can figure out the difference between the sale of synthetic and the natural leaf," White said.

Kratom is made from the leaves of a tropical plant native to Southeast Asia. Some supporters say it can help relieve pain.

Heidi Sykora, who said she uses natural kratom for pain, urged officials to distinguish between natural and synthetic products.

"Natural kratom does not intoxicate me or impair me. It simply reduces my pain, enough that I can exercise and stretch," Sykora said.

Concerns raised during the council discussion focused on synthetic variations of kratom, which can have opioid-like effects. Critics say those products have contributed to addiction, health problems, and overdose deaths.

Ashley Ware of Naperville said she became addicted to a synthetic kratom-infused drink and later entered detox treatment.

"It nearly almost killed me. You get heart palpitations. Your skin turns green," Ware said.

Ware said she first learned about the product through a podcast.

"How I even discovered it was on a health and wellness podcast. The podcast marketed it as an herbal-like energy drink," she said.

Naperville joins a growing list of Chicago suburbs, as well as the state of Indiana, banning the sale of kratom. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved kratom for any medical use.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kratom-related exposure reports to U.S. poison control centers increased by 1,200% between 2015 and 2025.

The ordinance bans the sale of kratom in Naperville while permitting adults 18 and older to possess and consume it.