Blackfeet council bans kratom sales, use on reservation

According to Montana Free Press, the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council has banned the sale, use and possession of kratom on the reservation in north-central Montana.

The resolution, passed Sept. 12, applies criminal penalties to retailers selling kratom. Council member Lyle Rutherford said penalties for possession have not yet been set because enforcement mechanisms still need to be determined. The resolution cites risks of “dependence and withdrawal symptoms similar to those experienced with opioids” and the lack of U.S. Food and Drug Administration enforcement as motivating factors. The Blackfeet Tribe Department of Revenue notified kratom-selling or promoting businesses of the ban on Sept. 22.