Sterling Heights Unanimously Votes to Ban Kratom Sales as Michigan Cities Move Ahead of Stalled State Legislation

Why it matters

Michigan's third-largest city is taking kratom regulation into its own hands, joining a wave of local municipal ordinances as state-level legislation sits stalled in the Democratic-led Senate. The move highlights how cities are increasingly bypassing legislative uncertainty to address kratom locally.

The big picture

Michigan's Republican-controlled House narrowly passed a full kratom ban in March, but the Senate has not yet taken up the bill. In the absence of state action, multiple Detroit-area municipalities have enacted their own ordinances. Sterling Heights joins Clinton Township and St. Clair Shores in regulating kratom locally, with varying approaches ranging from age restrictions to outright bans on sales.

Key findings

• Sterling Heights City Council voted unanimously to introduce a kratom ban ordinance at its May 5 meeting
• Police Lt. Aaron Susalla — also president of the Sterling Heights Drug-Free Coalition — cited kratom's effect on judgment and concern about youth access
• Businesses violating the ordinance could face business license revocation or denial
• The ordinance does not prohibit personal use of kratom, only its sale and distribution
• Ordinance is scheduled for final approval at the May 19 council meeting
• American Kratom Association supports regulation but not a full ban; it does support banning 7-OH

What they say

"It's just another one of those substances that affects people's abilities to make good decisions. It messes with their equilibrium." — Sterling Heights Police Lt. Aaron Susalla

Bottom line

Sterling Heights is set to become one of Michigan's first cities to fully ban kratom sales, acting independently as state-level legislation remains in limbo in the Democratic-led Senate.