The committee voted unanimously to advance Senate File 56, a kratom regulation bill, after testimony from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health about lab testing limits, staffing needs, fiscal costs and enforcement; members debated whether a 0.2% threshold would effectively function as a ban and whether the lab could test to that precision.

Maine legislation bans sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products by licensed businesses.

The council amended zoning and sales rules for hemp-derived and synthetic cannabinoid products and updated an ordinance to prohibit nitrous oxide and kratom sales to minors by aligning kratom to the state age of 21; legal counsel noted pending federal changes could further restrict products this summer.

Regulations restrict kratom products from exceeding two percent 7-hydroxymitragynine content.

Officials aim to notify retailers and enforce new regulations on synthetic cannabinoid products.

Vaughn introduces bill to set THC potency limits on recreational cannabis in Massachusetts.

Staff outlined health and enforcement concerns about kratom and two policy options: a total ban or a targeted approach banning synthetic/high‑potency products while allowing adult access to natural leaf with safeguards. Council favored the targeted regulated approach and asked staff to draft ordinance language for Feb. 26, 2026.

A committee adopted two amendments to Senate Bill 624 to target adulteration of controlled substances with substances not for human use and dangerous to people, removed explicit references to xylazine and veterinarians, and passed the bill as amended, 8–6 after debate over penalty stacking and drug checking.