Hillsborough bans sales of concentrated and chemically altered kratom products

Dana MacDonald holds a photo of her son, Cade, as she speaks to the Hillsborough County Commission during public comments on a kratom ordinance on Nov. 10, 2026. MacDonald said Cade died earlier this year from acute kratom poisoning. She wanted the commission to ban all forms of kratom. "We should not accept addiction and death as the price of keeping a product on the shelves," she told commissioners. "Cade's life mattered. He deserved better, and so do the next lives that you can save." (Hillsborough County Commission / YouTube)The Hillsborough County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to prohibit the sale and distribution of kratom products containing concentrated or chemically altered compounds, including 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH.The 7-0 vote followed about two hours of public comment, with more than 50 speakers supporting and opposing the proposed restrictions.The decision amends the county's existing synthetic drug ordinance to cover kratom products that have been chemic