Moreno Valley Moves Forward With Adopting Riverside County Ordinance Regulating Kratom

The Moreno Valley City Council Tuesday took the first step in adopting a recently passed Riverside County ordinance regulating the sale and distribution of products containing kratom and its synthetic version, known as 7-Hydroxymitragynine or 7-OH.

City Manager Brian Mohan said that because the city was adopting the county ordinance by reference, the process was slightly different than the normal process for adopting an ordinance.

“This procedure requires us to conduct the first read and introduce the ordinance tonight, but it’s unique,” he said at the December 2 meeting. “So we have to actually, if approved, we would have to then schedule a public hearing to receive public input regarding the adoption of our ordinance on January 6, 2026, so that it gives the public time to review the ordinance.”

At that meeting, the public hearing would be closed and the council would then consider final adoption of the county’s ordinance for enforcement in the city. 

The ordinance, as approved by the county, prohibits the sale, distribution and possession of kratom or 7-OH products exceeding 2% 7-OH concentration, the sale of kratom or 7-OH products to anyone under the age of 21, requires age verification at the point of sale, bans the use of packaging and marketing that’s “attractive to children” and prohibits the sale of products containing synthetic or semi-synthetic kratom alkaloids. Those who violate the ordinance face misdemeanor prosecution, fines of up to $1,000 and the revocation of their business license.

At the November 18 meeting, Mohan said if the council ends up adopting the county’s ordinance, city staff would likely partner with the county on messaging to inform local businesses about the new regulations.

“We would be communicating that through our business license division to all of our businesses that sell this particular product,” he said. “We would have to go through an educational period, and then once that educational period is reached, then we’d have to start enforcement.”

Kratom is a botanical product native to Southeast Asia and has been used traditionally for its stimulant and pain relieving properties. At low doses, kratom produces stimulant effects such as increased alertness, physical energy and talkativeness, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). At high doses, however, the substance produces sedative effects, according to the agency. Consumption can lead to addiction, the DEA said.

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters to health care professionals and consumers about the risks associated with 7-OH products. The letters came a month after the FDA issued warning letters to seven companies that the agency said were illegally distributing tablets, gummies, drink mixes and shots containing 7-OH. Kratom products are commonly sold at smoke shops and convenience stores.

Councilman Ed Delgado, who was absent from Tuesday’s meeting, said at the November 18 meeting that he brought the item forward after hearing about the substance being sold in local stores.

“I was shocked, actually, that these folks, these distributors and manufacturers of this stuff [have] gotten away with it this long,” he said. “I would not want my granddaughter to be able to go purchase some of this.”

Earlier this year, the California State Assembly passed AB 1088, which would regulate the sale and distribution of kratom at the state level. The bill is currently pending review by the Senate Health Committee, but Mohan said at the November 18 meeting that many of the local ordinances passed include similar restrictions as those proposed by state legislators.

“Depending on deliberations, it could be temporary until the state creates statewide standards, and then that temporary ordinance is then rescinded,” he said.