CHESTERFIELD (First Alert 4) – The city of Chesterfield voted Monday to regulate hemp-derived products and kratom products for anyone under 21 years old.
Hemp-derived products, sometimes referred to as Delta products, come from the marijuana plant and can have similar effects. Kratom also comes from a plant and can have energetic or even opioid-like effects on the body. Leaders at Green Dragon CBD in town said they already check customers’ IDs, even though it wasn’t law.
“That’s something we’ve enforced since day one,” said Matthew Jadwin.
Matthew Jadwin, co-owner and CEO of Green Dragon CBD, said while their products, such as hemp-derived edible gummies or their kratom selection, can benefit adults, kids shouldn’t be buying them.
“Nobody under the age of 21 should be getting these products,” said Jadwin.
On Monday, the city of Chesterfield etched that into law, stating you must be 21 years old to buy kratom or hemp edibles.
Those edibles are legally different than what’s sold in marijuana dispensaries, as they have less than three percent of Delta 9 THC, the chemical that gets you high.
Kratom can elicit euphoria, energy, pain relief, or can relax you. Some use it to deter opioid abuse.
At Green Dragon CBD, they have informational pamphlets that show customers, specifically ones that are less familiar with the kratom products, educational information to make sure the customers get the right dosage.
“When somebody comes in, we’re never steering anybody towards kratom,” said Jadwin.
Jadwin said kratom can be useful in the right circumstances but can be dangerous.
First Alert 4 spoke with Nick Stosz five years ago. His wife took kratom for pain and accidentally ingested too much.
“The thing that was supposed to help her, killed her,” said Stosz in 2019.
St. Charles County regulated kratom afterward. Now others are following.
“So that’s really driven law enforcement and the chiefs in the metro area to really try to figure out a way to get some regulations to protect kids from it,” said Chesterfield City Attorney Chris Graville.
Missouri lawmakers have considered changing state law to ban hemp-derived intoxicants or to further regulate them.
Jadwin said the hemp industry is working with lawmakers to regulate themselves to ensure they’re not banned.
“We’re on the cutting edge of holistic medicine, and so finding the right path and doing it safely is important to us,” said Jadwin.
The law also requires businesses to place hemp-derived products and kratom behind the counter.
David Jadwin, the other co-owner of Green Dragon CBD, and father to Matthew, said via text message he doesn’t agree with that “blanket provision.”
He said he understands that law in gas stations, but in their store, he said they ID check and supervise their customers. He said it’s important for customers to look and feel the product before purchasing.
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The city of Chesterfield voted Monday to regulate hemp-derived products and kratom products for anyone under 21 years old. Read More