Moses Lake to ban kratom sales to people under the age of 21

MOSES LAKE, Wash. - The City of Moses Lake is set to impose a ban on kratom sales to those under the age of 21 starting Friday, October 2.

The Moses Lake Police Department (MLPD) said violations will carry fines. $1,030 for the first offense, $3,000 for the second, and any subsequent violations will carry a fine of $5,000.

MLPD said kratom is "largely unregulated and can be taken as tea, powder, capsules, pressed tablets, or liquid extracts. Its active compounds act on the same brain receptors as opioids, and at higher doses kratom can produce opioid-like effect, including sedation and, in some cases, overdose."

Kratom is typically available at gas stations and various retailers. In Moses Lake, purchasing it previously had no restrictions.

Many cities in Washington and across the country have opted to ban the product entirely.

All kratom sales were fully banned in Spokane, Spokane Valley, and Kellogg, Idaho in 2026. Coeur d'Alene opted for an age restriction to those over the age of 21.

"We will continue with education and enforcement as appropriate moving forward," MLPD said. "Our goal is to ensure compliance and protect our community's youth."