City of Albuquerque backs FDA decision to ban Kratom consumption

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque is backing the FDA's decision to ban Kratom sales. Kratom is a substance in the form of a beverage, pill, or powder that has been sold across the country.

Bottled drinks with the substance have been sold at gas stations and smoke shops in various marketing efforts. Some have been marketed for energy, and others for relaxation. The most common label seen in Albuquerque has been a blue bottle labeled 'Feel Free.' All of which are now banned in the city.

"The effects of it in its traditional sense is somewhere between an opioid and a stimulant," Albuquerque Environmental Health Deputy Director Mark DiMenna said.

Some say Kratom is being used by former heroin or fentanyl addicts as an alternative. Some use it for energy, relaxation, or puri