Council weighs ordinance to let police seize kratom
Town Board · Meeting of September 24, 2026
Springfield officials weigh new ordinance after state bars confiscation of banned kratom. City Councilor Jerry Martin and Councilor Brian Ciancinello heard from Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Colton Harris that the state has ordered kratom banned in all forms effective Aug. 28, but barred boards of health from confiscating it themselves. Colton Harris said her department has sent 500 letters to retailers, with 19 returned so far, and reported roughly eight kratom-related overdoses in Massachusetts this year.
Lieutenant Jamie Bruneau said police would need a new city ordinance to legally seize kratom as evidence, and agreed to provide a list of about a dozen stores for follow-up visits. "We cannot supersede the governor's order as a board of health," Colton Harris said. The committees agreed to reconvene in two to four weeks after the Law Department researches ordinance language.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 1,494 words
Source: the Town Board meeting of September 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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