Commissioner urges North Hills to address vape-shop proximity and kratom in student education

Commissioner Joe Mujah, Ross Township commissioner and the district's school board liaison, urged the North Hills School District Board of Education on May 14 to publicize recent local limits on vape shops and to consider adding kratom to student education programs. "We did pass an ordinance... they cannot be within 1,000 feet of a school, a daycare, or a church," Mujah said, and he said one shop already falls inside that distance because it predated the ordinance.

Why it matters: Board members said the issues affect student safety and school-community relations. Mujah flagged kratom sales at convenience stores and suggested the district incorporate kratom education: "a lot of the vape shops and gas stations and convenience stores also sell kratom... it's a natural opioid," he said, citing a May 1 news report about enforcement actions elsewhere.

Board response and policy context: Ms. Kozera, the board member overseeing policy and legislation, noted the district already has two policies covering tobacco and vaping that reference state law and are broadly written to cover new products. "To the extent that there's some new... thing that comes out, that would be covered, you know, obviously, under the policies," Kozera said. No board member proposed a formal change to policy or curriculum at the meeting; Kozera and Mujah suggested the legislation committee could review whether the district should add targeted education.

What happened next: The board did not take a formal vote on curriculum changes. Mujah also publicized a June 6 community information session led by local police about e-bikes, ATVs and similar vehicles and encouraged families to attend.

Background and limits: Mujah referenced recent municipal ordinance changes that affect new vape-shop siting and mentioned state lawmakers reportedly considering kratom legislation; the board did not adopt or endorse new district rules during the meeting. Any curricular or policy changes would require committee review and future board action.