The Fight for Botanicals

South Carolina lawmakers are confronting a sharper problem than natural kratom: concentrated 7-OH products that experts say are far more potent and potentially dangerous. In a recent MSN report, advocates argued the compound is being sold in gummies, tablets, and other retail products that blur the line between botanical kratom and an opioid-like additive.

Health officials and toxicologists warn that 7-OH products can carry serious risks, including dependence, overdose, and withdrawal. Supporters of tighter rules say lawmakers should target high-concentration and synthetic 7-OH, not lump it together with leaf kratom. The dispute comes as the state’s kratom law remains incomplete and the Senate debate stalls.

The American Kratom Association (AKA) has welcomed new American Medical Association (AMA) policy targeting highly concentrated 7‑hydroxymitragynine (7‑OH) products, while warning that imprecise language risks misleading the public about traditional kratom.

In a press release published via Yahoo Finance, the AKA applauded the AMA for calling out chemically manipulated 7‑OH opioids and backing tighter controls on their sale and marketing, especially around minors. However, AKA policy fellow Mac Haddow argued that repeatedly labeling these synthetically boosted 7‑OH products as “kratom” obscures the crucial distinction between natural leaf and laboratory-altered opioids.

Natural kratom leaf is dominated by mitragynine, with 7‑OH only in trace amounts, while new products “reverse” that profile through chemical conversion. Citing an FDA‑oversighted human dose‑finding study in which adults tolerated up to 12 grams of kratom leaf without serious adverse events, the AKA urged policymakers to regulate manipulated 7‑OH opioids separately from traditional kratom.

Read the original report on Yahoo Finance.

Illinois is emerging as a key battleground in the national fight over how to handle kratom, an herbal product derived from a Southeast Asian tree and sold in everything from powders to gummies. Advocates say it can ease pain and help people taper off opioids, but federal regulators warn of risks, especially when kratom is mixed with other substances.

One bill would classify kratom’s active compounds as Schedule III controlled substances, while another would keep it legal but raise the purchase age to 21, require lab testing and clearer labeling, and add a 5 percent tax on sales.

Read the original report at FOX 32 Chicago.

A South Carolina bill that would effectively ban kratom statewide is unlikely to advance this year after senators signaled they need more data on the substance’s risks and benefits. The proposal, which already passed the House, would classify kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance. With the legislative session ending Thursday, senators say they will study the issue during the off-season, leaving current kratom regulations in place for now. The original report appeared on WIS News.

Minnesota has raised the legal age to possess kratom from 18 to 21, following a bill signed by Governor Tim Walz that takes effect August 1, 2026. The law covers any amount of kratom or products containing the alkaloids mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine, and violations are classified as gross misdemeanors. Kratom, an herbal extract from the Southeast Asian tree Mitragyna speciosa, can act as a stimulant at low doses and a sedative at higher doses, according to the Mayo Clinic. Consumer advocacy group 7-HOPE Alliance welcomed the move and continues to push for a nationwide 21-plus standard, arguing for safeguards rather than prohibition. You can read the original report from Fox 21 Online here.

State lawmakers in Pennsylvania are moving to bring structure to the fast‑expanding kratom market, targeting how the plant‑based product is sold and labeled in local shops. The proposals would set age restrictions, tighten controls on synthetic or heavily concentrated versions, and require straightforward information on packaging so buyers understand what they are taking.

Backers of the effort emphasize that they are not seeking an outright ban, but a framework that treats kratom more like other regulated products on store shelves. They argue that clear rules could help responsible consumers continue using kratom for energy and mood support while curbing questionable products and marketing practices. For more background, see the original AOL report, “Pennsylvania lawmakers propose regulating kratom,” here.

The American Kratom Association (AKA) has issued a nationwide consumer alert over products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), warning they are being misleadingly marketed as “kratom” despite posing significantly higher safety risks. According to the group, these chemically engineered compounds differ sharply from natural kratom leaf, which contains only trace levels of 7-OH.

The alert highlights concerns over high-potency formulations, including dissolvable tablets and strips designed for rapid absorption. Federal health authorities have previously drawn a clear distinction between natural kratom and synthetic derivatives.

The AKA also warned that misleading labeling and unverified health claims could confuse consumers and policymakers. It is urging regulators to take targeted action against these products while preserving access to natural kratom.

Read the full release.

Kansas City, Missouri, is introducing stricter oversight for shops that sell kratom, requiring them to secure a dedicated Kratom Retail License before stocking the product. The newly approved ordinance sets the license fee at 500 dollars and makes unlicensed kratom sales illegal, with city regulators tasked with enforcement.

Mayor Quinton Lucas framed the change as a public health measure, citing the need for transparency. Kratom is derived from a Southeast Asian tree and often promoted for pain relief or easing opioid withdrawal. City health and regulatory agencies say they will keep analyzing data and coordinating with partners as they assess the impact of the policy.

In a new testimonial video, a Las Vegas veteran describes how a natural leaf, kratom, helped her reclaim her health and rebuild a life of service. She recalls moving to North Las Vegas in 2015, where she and her husband met Kelly, the provider behind the kratom they had relied on for years, and learned it was a simple plant used for millennia. After using it for fibroid pain, she says the relief restored her ability to be active and deepened her relationship with her husband. That renewed strength, she explains, allowed the couple to grow their veteran nonprofit “Forgotten Not Gone,” which fights suicide by maintaining a fleet of recumbent trikes for peer-support rides. “Kratom saves lives,” she says in the video, crediting it with saving both hers and her husband’s as they now work to “stomp out veteran suicide.” Watch the full story at Protect Kratom.

Michigan’s move to ban kratom could push a controversial but widely used substance into far more dangerous territory. House Bill 5537, passed without committee hearings or expert testimony, would outlaw the sale and distribution of kratom and its synthetic variants statewide. Critics argue that prohibition will not erase demand; instead, it is likely to drive consumers toward unregulated markets with no potency limits, age checks, or labeling standards, increasing the risk of overdoses and adulterated products. They point to past bans on synthetic cannabinoids and illicit opioids that fueled spikes in emergency room visits when more potent formulations filled the gap. Reform advocates say Nebraska’s Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which restricts sales to adults and licenses manufacturers, offers a safer regulatory blueprint than an outright ban. Read the original opinion in The Michigan Daily for a deeper look at the case against Michigan’s proposed ban.

Synthetic kratom products, known as 7-OH, will soon disappear from Utah convenience stores under a new law aimed at curbing overdose deaths linked to the supplement.

Under SB45, which takes effect May 6, only whole-leaf kratom will remain legal in Utah, and only for customers over 21 buying from smoke shops. Synthetic and enhanced versions, frequently sold in blister packs or pills, will be banned from retail shelves, and in 2027 it will become illegal to manufacture them in the state. Read the original report at KSL.