Utah
Utah lawmakers debate kratom bans as families urge immediate action
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Kratom, a product sold at gas stations and smoke shops across Utah, is back before lawmakers this legislative session as some families call for tighter regulation following addiction and death tied to its use.
One bill that has advanced in the Senate would ban synthetic kratom, while another proposal that would ban kratom in its natural form is still waiting to be heard.
Several Utahns who spoke with 2News say kratom played a role in the loss of loved ones or in their own addiction. These indicators are urging lawmakers to take action.
MORE | Kratom
Eva Neeleman said her son, Connor, died after taking a synthetic product containing 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH. Some kratom advocates argue synthetic version of kratom should be banned, while kratom in its natural form should remain legal.
When asked whether she supports an outright ban, Neeleman said she does.
“This stuff will kill your kids,” Neeleman said. “Whatever will get this off the streets, I’m supportive of.”
Paul Baumgartner also called on lawmakers to ban kratom. He said his wife, Brittany, began using kratom in 2024 to help manage back pain, often mixing it with alcohol and other substances.
“She just was not herself,” Baumgartner said. “She had no control over her actions.”
Baumgartner said he witnessed his wife take her own life while using kratom. More than a year later, he said he is still trying to cope with the loss.
“There’s so many things I would like to talk about,” he said. “They’re just — they’re graphic.”
Dustin Hawkins said he was seven years sober from opioid addiction when he tried a kratom drink purchased at an Ogden gas station. He said one drink quickly turned into as many as 10 a day.
“It was even worse for me than opiates because it just didn’t feel wrong,” Hawkins said, referencing the accessibility in gas stations.
He said the addiction cost him more than $100 a day, his job, and strained personal relationships.
“I was a bad OxyContin addict, and this thing in the gas station was the hardest thing for me to deal with out of all of it,” Hawkins said.
Utah Sen. Mike McKell, who sponsored one of the measures up for consideration among lawmakers, said claims from kratom manufacturers and advocates that the substance is no more addictive than caffeine are false.
“They’re wrong, and they’re lying to the public,” McKell said.
McKell’s legislation would repeal the Kratom Consumer Protection Act and ban kratom alkaloids, including 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine, by scheduling them as controlled substances.
“In essence, it would be a ban by scheduling those drugs,” McKell said.
MORE | 2026 Legislative Session
Another proposal, Senate Bill 48, would keep the protection act in place while banning synthetic kratom chemicals. It would also add safety and labeling requirements. For Neeleman, Baumgartner, and Hawkins, though, the measure does not go far enough.
“If it was banned, this wouldn’t exist,” Neeleman said. “Not just Utah. The United States of America needs to ban this product.”
Baumgartner said action at the Capitol is moving in the right direction.
“It’s a very good start,” he said. “It’s not fast enough.”
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UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
PROVO — An organization that has been a beacon of hope for Utah children and families just got a big upgrade in Provo.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, marking the start of a new chapter in providing support for those who need it the most.
The new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, 131 N. Olympic Blvd., replaces the organization’s former Provo clubhouse, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County leaders said they had outgrown the aging facility and needed a larger, more modern space to support more community members.
“This new clubhouse is more than a building — it’s a central place where we can coordinate programs, support our staff, and amplify our impact across the region,” said David Bayles, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, in a statement.
The organization’s mission was something the late former Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich was passionate about. His wife Marji and daughter Emily Sakievich attended Friday’s grand opening ceremony just as if he would’ve wanted to.
“He loved this project, and it meant the world to him,” Emily Sakievich told KSL. “This was actually one of the last places he went before he passed. (He) and my mom stopped by to just see how progress was going; he would be so excited to see this come together.”
The former commissioner died last December at the age of 72. Tom Sakievich resigned from the seat in September 2024 after being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.
Emily Sakievich said her father was a big supporter of helping children in the Boys & Girls Clubs feel supported while he was in office.
“He would have all of them come to his office and talk about how government works and how they can be a part of it someday,” she said.
The new 20,000 square-foot facility expands on resources and programs offered at its previous site for community youth and families experiencing hardships.
The clubhouse will provide safe, engaging, and educational programs in a modernized building fit to serve more than 14,000 Utah children and teens.
A variety of programs including after-school, summer activities and STEM learning will be offered at the new facility. Other resources include internet safety programs, mental health support, nutrition initiatives, and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness.
“We’ve been able to increase the capacity so much and add preschool and other things; we can even benefit more families — and we can benefit them for a longer period of time, from younger to older, where there are no gaps.” Provo City Council Chair Katrice MacKay told KSL. “So I’m really excited. It’s a fantastic thing for the city and for our residents.”
Leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County say the new $6 million Provo clubhouse was designed as a welcoming space where children and teens can explore new interests, build life skills, and receive mentorship from caring staff.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs have been a cornerstone of youth development in Utah County for decades,” said Janet Frank, board president, in a statement “This new clubhouse strengthens that mission, allowing the organization to extend its reach and impact across the entire region.”
Friday’s event took place while children who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs were in school, so another ceremony for kids and their families is planned for the end of the month.
“The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there,” Bayles said. “We want to accomplish what every parent wants for their kids — we want them to have a safe place to learn and grow, to be successful in school, to build social skills and to go on and be great members of society.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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