Saratoga County Bans Sale of Kratom.

The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors has voted 17-4 to ban the sale and distribution of the substance Kratom in Saratoga County. 

The measure was passed on Oct. 20 during the Board’s monthly meeting in Ballston Spa. Under the law selling or distributing Kratom products would result in a $1000 fine for the first offense and a $1,500 fine for subsequent offenses. 

Notably, the ban applies to both synthetic and natural Kratom products sold in Saratoga County but doesn’t restrict the sale of Kratom by individuals. It also allows for the sale of any Kratom product that receives approval from the FDA. 

The ban comes a year after New York State passed a law restricting the sale of Kratom to individuals 21 and older and requiring warning labels on Kratom products sold in the state. 

During the meeting, three members of the Board of Supervisors spoke out against the proposed ban and advised their colleagues to vote no on it. 

Town of Stillwater Supervisor Edward Kinowski was one of the three who voted against the measure. In the discussion prior to the vote, Kinowski argued that the ban didn’t do enough to address the root causes of social issues and said that Kratom was another substance that came from nature which man had perverted.

“Synthetic creations of Mother Nature’s list of hopeful remedies should all be regulated, but let’s not ban the miracles of so many of Mother Nature’s gifts like Kratom because of man-made creations.” Kinowski said. “If you vote yes to ban, then you should make the same rational decision to ban all alcoholic products, tobacco and vaping products, and all legal and illegal drugs, for they cause far greater harm to society, and all have laws governing their use.”

Saratoga Springs Supervisor Minita Sanghvi also spoke against the measure, arguing that while synthetic derivatives needed to be banned, the law went too far in its outright ban of natural Kratom. She instead argued that the Board of Supervisors should instead pass a law strictly regulating natural leaf Kratom as it does have legitimate medical uses. 

“Let us honor the families who have suffered by taking real decisive action against the dangerous synthetic chemicals that are caused by these tragedies,” Sanghvi said. “But let us do so with the precision of a scalpel and not a sledgehammer, protecting our communities from dangerous lab drugs without abandoning the 1000s of responsible adults who rely on the natural botanical leaf to live a functional, pain-free life.”

Wilton Supervisor Toni Sturm backed Sanghvi and argued that banning natural leaf Kratom was like “throwing out the baby with the bathwater” and that a distinction had to be made between the two substances. 

Ultimately, the measure passed 17-4 with Waterford Supervisor David Ball joining Sturm, Sanghvi and Kinowski in opposing the law. 

The law goes into effect upon filing with the New York Department of State, with a 30 day transition period for sellers of Kratom to dispose of their inventory.

Much of the discussion surrounding Kratom has resulted from the death of a county employee. In 2024, County Sewer District worker Nickolas Scribner died due to asphyxiation while taking the substance to deal with insomnia. His mother, Cari, pushed for more regulations after his death and her efforts lead the state to pass regulations in 2025 and she spoke in favor of the law banning the substance during an Oct. 14 public hearing.

 In a statement Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Phil Barrett praised the measure. 

“We have seen the devastating impacts of kratom, which have tragically included local deaths, and we have heard from many of our county residents who support this measure,” Barrett said. “Clearly, more clinical research and ingredient labeling standards on kratom products are necessary to better inform people about the use of this product.  By removing these products from easily accessible retail locations in Saratoga County, we’re taking an important step toward safeguarding our families and communities.”