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Montana Weighs Competing Kratom Bills Ahead of 2027 Legislative Session

Kratom remains unregulated in Montana even as roughly 30 states have adopted rules for it and eight have banned it outright, according to the Daily Inter Lake. Two competing proposals aimed at changing that advanced out of legislative interim committees this month, with both expected to return for Montana’s 2027 legislative session.

The Law and Justice Interim Committee tabled the Kratom Consumer Protection Act by an 8-1 vote. That measure would have banned synthesized kratom products, required ingredient labeling, allowed state testing and regulation, and set a minimum purchase age of 18. The Economic Affairs Interim Committee instead advanced a separate bill that would classify kratom’s active compounds as controlled substances.

State Sen. Vince Ricci opposed the Consumer Protection Act in part because its proposed age-18 purchase minimum sits below Montana’s 21-year threshold for tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol. Rep. Steven Kelly said the state’s current regulatory gap needs addressing and expects lawmakers to take up the issue again in 2027.

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Congressman’s Push for a Uniform National Supplement Law Keeps Gaining Industry Support

A federal push to replace the current state-by-state patchwork of dietary supplement rules with a single national standard is continuing to gain traction, according to a report from trade publication NutraIngredients. Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) introduced the Dietary Supplement Regulatory Uniformity Act earlier this year, and reaffirmed his support for it at an April hearing, arguing that supplements have long been regulated under one federal framework and that state-level rules add cost and confusion without a clear safety benefit. The bill would make the FDA the primary authority setting national supplement standards, while still letting states petition the agency over evidence-based local concerns. Daniel Fabricant, president of the Natural Products Association, said the legislation “reaffirms the authority of the FDA to administer and enforce a uniform, national framework” for the industry. The bill remains in early stages, with trade groups pushing for more co-sponsors.

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Iowa Proposes Dropping Residency Rule for Medical Cannabis Patients

Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services has filed proposed rules that would remove the state medical cannabis program’s longstanding residency requirement, allowing out-of-state patients certified by an Iowa healthcare provider to register, according to Marijuana Moment. The proposal also restores a reduced $25 registration fee for military veterans, down from the standard $100, correcting an omission from a 2023 rule review. A public hearing is scheduled for September 8.

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VA Launches Nationwide Psilocybin Trial for Veterans With Treatment-Resistant Depression

The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched PIVOT, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial testing psilocybin in veterans with treatment-resistant major depression, including those with PTSD, according to Military Times. The study will enroll at least 240 veterans across five VA medical centers in Alabama, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington, testing two psilocybin doses given a month apart under FDA-developed safety protocols. VA Secretary Doug Collins said “far too many veterans are living with mental health conditions that don’t respond to available treatments.”

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Missouri Attorney General Reaches Settlement Barring St. Louis Company From Kratom Sales

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has reached a settlement barring the owners of Green Dragon, a St. Louis company, from selling kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products in the state, according to Missouri Independent, via KBIA. The deal also bars David and Matthew Jadwin from holding a financial stake in any Missouri kratom business, and follows similar settlements with other distributors.

The action comes as the DEA weighs a temporary rule placing concentrated 7-OH in Schedule I, a step officials say would not apply to natural kratom containing only trace amounts of the compound.

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Psychedelic Medicine Goes Mainstream: Inside America’s Psilocybin Boom

Psilocybin therapy, once relegated to the fringes of medicine, is now operating legally in three U.S. states — and dozens more are watching closely.

Oregon and Colorado currently run the nation’s only fully regulated adult-access programs, while New Mexico is racing to see its first patients by the end of 2026 under a new medical psilocybin law. Meanwhile, more than 26 states are weighing legislation of their own, according to a detailed state-by-state breakdown from Psychedelic Beacon.

Federal policy is shifting too. An executive order this year has pushed the FDA to speed up review of psychedelic treatments for serious mental health conditions — though psilocybin remains a Schedule I substance nationally, with no legalization date in sight.

The patchwork is growing fast. Whether it becomes a coherent national policy is still an open question.

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Minnesota Raises Kratom Purchase Age to 21 Under New Law

Minnesota is set to tighten kratom regulations on Aug. 1, when the legal age to buy and possess the substance rises from 18 to 21. The new rule also increases penalties for illegal sales and possession, according to a FOX 9 report.

The law marks a significant step in Minnesota’s effort to curb access to intoxicating substances that have drawn increased scrutiny from state and federal officials.

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South Carolina Faces 7-OH Backlash

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.

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Oregon’s Psilocybin Experiment Enters Its Next, Messy Phase

Oregon’s pioneering psilocybin therapy program is drawing a familiar mix of optimism and concern as new reviews highlight who is using it and how. High-income clients, many traveling from out of state, continue to dominate access to supervised mushroom sessions, often for wellness or “personal growth” rather than diagnosed mental illness. Researchers warn that limited reporting requirements make it hard to know whether service centers are consistently screening out people for whom psychedelics could be risky.

Yet evidence from initiatives such as Oregon Health & Science University’s long-term study suggests supervised psilocybin has real potential to help with mental health and substance use when delivered safely. As the Bend Source editorial argues, the challenge now is less about predicting problems and more about fixing them—by tightening safeguards, expanding access, and grounding debate in data. You can read the original commentary, “Much Ado About Psilocybin,” at The Source Weekly.

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Federal Clampdown Zeroes In On Synthetic 7‑OH

U.S. drug regulators are zeroing in on a potent, lab‑made kratom compound rather than the plant itself. The Drug Enforcement Administration has moved to temporarily place 7‑hydroxymitragynine (7‑OH) and three related analogues in the strictest federal drug category, reserved for substances deemed to have high abuse potential and no accepted medical use.

The order targets products with elevated levels of 7‑OH, commonly sold as candies, shots and “kratom extracts” in convenience stores and vape shops, while explicitly leaving botanical kratom untouched. Public health groups and major kratom industry players have backed the decision, arguing that these synthetic, opioid‑like formulations pose a serious safety risk. For full background, see the original coverage from The Hill, via HootMD.

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Trump Order Speeds Psychedelic Drug Research Amid Praise and Caution

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order accelerating federal research into psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions, including depression and PTSD. The directive instructs the FDA to fast-track studies on substances such as psilocybin and ibogaine, despite their current Schedule I classification.

The move follows claims by podcast host Joe Rogan that a direct message to Trump helped spark the policy shift. Within days, the FDA issued priority review vouchers to several companies developing psychedelic therapies.

While industry leaders welcomed the decision as a breakthrough for treatment-resistant conditions, scientists urged caution, noting that clinical evidence remains incomplete and no drugs have yet been approved. The FDA emphasised that expedited review does not guarantee safety or effectiveness.

Read more

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Florida regulators have introduced updated restrictions focused specifically on 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a highly concentrated compound derived from kratom, as part of an effort to close gaps in earlier rules.

The new emergency measure places strict limits on 7-OH and similar derivatives in retail products, capping allowable amounts and requiring formulations to maintain significantly higher levels of natural mitragynine. These changes are mostly aimed at synthetically altered products.

Importantly, these rules do not apply to traditional, natural kratom products, which remain legal under Florida law. Industry groups such as the American Kratom Association have also emphasized that 7-OH products should be treated separately from natural kratom, supporting clearer distinctions between the two categories.

Full report

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AKA Urges AMA to Draw Clear Line Between Kratom and Chemically Altered Opioids

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.

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Lawmakers to Receive Briefing on Kratom Regulation and FDA Policy Divide

Federal lawmakers are set to receive a key briefing on kratom regulation as uncertainty persists nearly a year after the FDA differentiated synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) from natural kratom. Despite the agency’s 2025 recommendation to regulate synthetic compounds, no unified federal framework has emerged, prompting a patchwork of state-level policies.

The American Kratom Association will lead the June 3 session, bringing together scientists and policy specialists to explain the implications of the FDA’s stance and ongoing regulatory gaps. With an estimated 20 million Americans using kratom, advocates say clearer federal guidance is urgently needed.

Discussion will also focus on proposed legislation aimed at establishing consumer protections while maintaining access to natural products.

Read more via the original report.

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Colorado Psilocybin Lab Helps Shape Emerging Therapeutic Industry

Nearly three years after Colorado legalized psilocybin, a Berthoud-based lab is playing a key role in the state’s developing psychedelic therapy sector. Lost Garden Labs and Therapeutics supplies licensed healing centers offering psilocybin-assisted treatments for mental health conditions.

Founder Josh Walker, a former mental health caregiver, said entering the newly regulated field has required careful navigation and legal guidance. The company received its license in late 2025 and now collaborates with therapists and facilitators across the state.

Clinicians report growing interest in psilocybin therapy, with some patients describing significant breakthroughs. Despite limited production capacity, the lab continues small-batch cultivation as demand rises.

Read the full report at 9News.

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Illinois Weighs How Far To Go On Kratom Crackdown

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.

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South Carolina Senate Puts Kratom Ban On Hold

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.

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Minnesota Raises Legal Kratom Age to 21

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.

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Pennsylvania Pushes For Clearer Rules On Kratom Sales

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.

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FDA Fast-Tracks Psilocybin for Mental Health Treatment

The US Food and Drug Administration is accelerating the review of several psychedelic-based therapies, signaling a shift in how mental health conditions may be treated. Under a new priority voucher program, companies researching psilocybin for depression and methylone for PTSD could see approval timelines reduced to as little as one to two months.

The move follows a broader federal push to expand research into promising treatments for conditions like treatment-resistant depression and substance use disorders. While early trial results appear encouraging, regulators stress that safety and rigorous clinical evidence remain essential.

Psychedelic drugs, still largely classified as high-risk substances, would only be administered in controlled clinical settings if approved. Experts say the initiative could expand access but caution that widespread adoption will take time. Full details are available via CNN.