PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia city leaders are taking action against businesses selling kratom and delta-8 products, which, although legal in Pennsylvania, are considered unregulated recreational drugs that could pose health risks.
City Council member Katherine Gilmore Richardson is spearheading efforts to address these concerns.
What we know:
Councilwoman Richardson has introduced legislation aimed at nuisance stores that sell unregulated and potentially dangerous products.
These businesses have proliferated across Philadelphia, often selling items labeled as containing THC and kratom.
Richardson noted, “These businesses are flooding the city of Philadelphia,” and emphasized the need to regulate these products, which are marketed to people of all ages.
The backstory:
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, stores selling drug paraphernalia have appeared in communities throughout Philadelphia.
“We started seeing these stores selling nothing but drug paraphernalia popping in communities across the city of Philadelphia, and now we’re finding we have 2, 3, 4, 5 stores selling the same stuff all in one block,” said Richardson.
What they’re saying:
The products, which include candles, gummies, vape pens, and infused chocolates, carry warnings about their intoxicating effects.
Richardson expressed concern about their accessibility to minors. “We don’t know what’s in these substances, unregulated substances, and they’re selling them to children and marketing these products to children all across the city of Philadelphia,” she said.
What’s next:
The proposed legislation aims to close loopholes that allow the sale of these items without proper zoning approval, licensing, and permission from the city.
Richardson and her staff have already shut down several stores caught selling these products.
“Every report we’ve seen as of late on these substances being sold in Philadelphia, they have much higher THC levels and just unregulated substances we know nothing about. So we need to get a handle on this situation, and that’s what we intend to do with this legislation,” she said.
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