Kansas City And Washington State Weigh Gas Station Drug Bans

On a chilly February morning in Kansas City, Teresa Wayman sat quietly in City Hall, her mind fixed on a cause that has become deeply personal. She was there to advocate for an ordinance that would ban so-called “gas station drugs”—substances like tianeptine and kratom, which are easily purchased at local convenience stores but have devastating consequences for families like hers. Her 33-year-old son, Jesse, died in November 2024 after buying tianeptine from a gas station. “It is frustrating,” Wayman told KCTV. “It ruins people’s lives, a lot of these drugs.”

Wayman’s story is far from unique. Across the country, states and cities are grappling with the proliferation of legal but dangerous psychoactive substances sold openly at gas stations and convenience stores. These drugs, often marketed as wellness supplements or herbal remedies, have been linked to addiction, overdoses, and even death. The urgency to regulate them is growing, but so too is the debate about how far these bans should go and whom they might hurt in the process.

In Kansas City, the push for change began in December 2025 when Mayor Quinton Lucas introduced an ordinance to ban the sale and distribution of a slew of substances: tianeptine, kratom, 7-OH, Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC edibles and drinks, hemp-derived cannabinoids, nitrous oxide, K2, bath salts, amanita mushroom products, and other chemical analogues designed to produce psychoactive or intoxicating effects. The list is long, and the stakes are high. As of February 4, 2026, the ordinance remains held in committee, stalled by negotiations and concerns from local businesses.

“Every day that it gets held up is another day however many more people are getting addicted to this stuff,” Wayman said, her frustration palpable as she waited for action. For her, the delay is not just a matter of policy—it’s a matter of life and death.

Mayor Lucas, meanwhile, finds himself in the middle of a contentious debate. “We’re making sure we’re hearing from everyone in the business community. I’ve heard a lot of different thoughts,” Lucas told KCTV. He emphasized that while he’s open to considering concerns from business owners, he still expects the ordinance to move forward without major changes. “I know there are people saying you need to be more hyper technical, all of that, but the more detailed we get, frankly the harder it’s going to be to enforce.” His stance is clear: “I want to make sure that what we’re not doing is creating more ready access to drugs.”

Yet, not everyone sees the proposed ban as the right solution. Paulie Vega Jr., a hemp-cannabis advocate, argues that the ordinance is too broad, particularly in its inclusion of hemp-derived cannabinoids. “Keep small business intact,” Vega said. “With a blanket ban, it treats everyone as bad when there are only certain bad actors out there.” This perspective underscores a tension playing out in city halls and state legislatures nationwide: how to balance public health and safety with the rights of small businesses and consumers who rely on legal cannabinoid products.

The Kansas City debate is mirrored by developments in Washington State, where lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 6287—legislation that would ban the sale of synthesized kratom and restrict the purchase of the plant form to those 21 and older. The bill is a direct response to rising reports of addiction, overdoses, and deaths linked to kratom and its potent synthesized version, 7-OH. Like tianeptine, these substances are sold legally at gas stations and convenience stores, often in innocuous packaging that belies their risks.

“It came in a cute little blue glass bottle. It was harmless looking,” said Tim, a father of two from Skagit County, Washington, who spoke to KING 5 about his struggle with 7-OH addiction. “You would’ve thought it was a wellness supplement.” What began as a “nice buzz” quickly spiraled into a full-blown addiction, complete with severe withdrawal symptoms and psychotic behavior. “I thought I was gonna die. It was really bad,” Tim recalled. He described the experience as a “slippery slope,” adding, “You get trapped in a vicious cycle. You need more and more, and then at a certain point you’re just held hostage.”

Tim’s psychiatric nurse, Nikki Behner, echoed these concerns, explaining that 7-OH acts similarly to heroin and meth depending on the dosage. “They develop psychosis, psychotic thoughts and unsafe behavior that results in involuntary commitment to hospitals,” Behner said. “I agree it should be banned.”

State Senator Jesse Salomon, who is sponsoring the Washington bill, finds the current situation alarming. “We are seeing addiction, overdoses, heroin-like effects in terms of behavior, spending all the money one might have,” Salomon told KING 5. The bill aims to address the ease with which these substances can be obtained—often more easily than cigarettes—and the growing body of evidence linking them to public health crises.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports more than 2,000 kratom-related deaths over the past five years. It’s important to note, as KING 5 did, that many of these cases involved other drugs as well, complicating the picture. Still, the figure is enough to spur lawmakers into action. Six other states have already banned kratom outright, and Washington could soon join their ranks if Senate Bill 6287 passes.

The debate over “gas station drugs” is fraught with difficult questions. Should substances that are legal in some contexts and countries be banned outright in the United States? Can a blanket ban effectively target dangerous products without harming legitimate businesses and responsible consumers? And perhaps most urgently: how many more families will lose loved ones before lawmakers agree on a path forward?

For parents like Teresa Wayman and recovering users like Tim, the answer seems clear. Both believe that these drugs are simply too easy to access and too dangerous to remain on shelves. “I just hope that we can get this going,” Wayman said, her hope undimmed by bureaucratic delays.

As the debate continues in city halls and state legislatures, one thing is certain: the fight over gas station drugs is far from over. The stakes are high, the opinions are divided, and the clock is ticking for families across the country.