POTTSVILLE — Pottsville City Council conducted the first reading of a proposed ordinance , that would prohibit the sale, distribution, manufacture and production of kratom and a range of substances defined in the measure as synthetic drugs within city limits.
Bill 32 of 2026 would create Chapter 199, titled “Synthetic Drugs,” in the city’s code. The measure remains a proposal and was not enacted through the first reading.
Substances and Activities Covered by the Proposal
The proposed restrictions cover synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, tianeptine, kratom, kratom alkaloids, synthetic or semi-synthetic or opioid-like kratom derivatives, semi-synthetic hemp-derived cannabinoids, phenibut and nitrous oxide for human consumption, ingestion or recreational inhalation.
Under the draft, prohibited conduct would include retail and wholesale sales, giving away or exchanging the covered substances, delivering or distributing them, and assisting another person in obtaining them. Manufacturing and producing the substances would also be prohibited.
Kratom, Hemp-Derived Compounds Included
The ordinance’s proposed definition of kratom includes any part of the Mitragyna speciosa plant intended for human consumption or ingestion, including leaves, powder, resin, extracts, concentrates and encapsulated material.
Separate definitions address kratom alkaloids and chemically altered or laboratory-modified derivatives, including enhanced extracts exceeding naturally occurring alkaloid concentrations and compounds marketed as “legal opioid alternatives.”
The draft also identifies semi-synthetic hemp-derived cannabinoids, including delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, HHC, THCP and THC-O.
Other examples listed in the ordinance include synthetic cannabinoid products marketed as K2 or Spice, synthetic cathinones commonly called “bath salts,” and tianeptine products described in the draft as “gas station heroin.”
These substances are grouped under the ordinance’s definition of “synthetic drugs,” which also encompasses kratom plant material.
Officials Discuss Enforcement and Business Notice
During discussion of the proposal, Solicitor Gretchen Sterns emphasized the need for detailed chemical definitions to clearly establish which substances would be prohibited and support enforcement.
Sterns said the draft was being reviewed by the Pottsville Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office to address consistency with state law and legal enforceability.
The discussion also included concerns about teenagers’ access to the products and their potential role in substance abuse.
Sterns discussed how to notify businesses and the public before enforcement begins, including possible warning periods or a delayed effective date. Posting the proposal on the city’s website and social media was also suggested to give businesses advance notice that the restrictions were under consideration.
Proposed Penalties and Effective Date
As written, a violation would constitute a summary offense upon conviction. The draft provides for a fine of up to $300 per offense, plus costs, and includes an imprisonment provision of up to 90 days per offense.
The ordinance’s introductory language cites an increase in emergency presentations, impaired driving incidents and use of multiple substances associated with the listed products as reasons for the proposal.
The current draft states that the ordinance would take effect 10 days after adoption. Any changes to penalties, warning periods or implementation timing would need to be reflected in the final measure considered by council.