Mount Prospect mulling ban on unregulated THC products, Kratom and Tianeptine

Mount Prospect is considering an ordinance that would ban the sale and possession of unregulated THC products and the psychoactive substances Kratom and Tianeptine.

The proposed measure, which will be discussed at Tuesday’s village board meeting, comes in response to what village officials describe as a “rapid increase” in the sale of such products in local stores.

If approved, the ordinance would prohibit the sale and possession of “illicit THC products,” including Delta-8, as well as such psychoactive substances as Kratom and Tianeptine. There would be a 90-day grace period for retailers to sell or safely dispose of their current inventory to those aged 21 and above.

Community Development Director Jason Shallcross said at last week’s committee of the whole meeting there is a difference between Hemp-derived THC products and such psychoactive substances as Kratom and Tianeptine and legal cannabis.

Unlike cannabis, which is regulated in the state and must be purchased at a dispensary, these products are not regulated.

“Anyone is able to purchase these products, because they exist in a legal gray area,” he said.

THC products derived from industrial hemp have jumped through a legal loophole created by the 2018 Federal Farm Bill. Plants containing 0.3% or less Delta-9 THC by dry weight are classified as industrial hemp and are not regulated by the state’s Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.

Kratom is a supplement derived from the leaves of a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. It is commonly used to treat conditions related to chronic pain, coughing, anxiety, depression, opioid use disorder or those coming off opioid use and experiencing withdrawal symptoms, Shallcross said.

It is often marketed as an energy booster, mood lifter and a pain reliever, he said.

Tianeptine, a synthetic compound, is a drug used in some countries to treat depression, but also affects the brain in ways similar to opioids, he said.

“It’s commonly marketed at gas stations under the names of Tianna and ZaZa,” he said. “There is currently no age restriction in the state of Illinois to purchase Tianeptine.”

Trustee Vince Dante, who spearheaded the measure, said he is concerned that minors who look older can easily purchase products that are packaged like candy in vape or smoke shops.

“Let’s keep the kids that just don’t know any better safe,” he said.