The Fight for Botanicals

Kansas City’s council is set to vote today on an ordinance that would outlaw synthetic 7-OH kratom while imposing tighter controls on natural kratom sales. The measure targets lab-made 7-OH and other synthetic alkaloids, which officials say have fueled a wave of dangerous “gas station heroin” products in local stores. Natural, unadulterated kratom could still be sold, but only to customers over 21 and under a stricter licensing regime.

The proposal follows weeks of emotional testimony from residents and warnings from health officials, alongside concerns from others about unintended consequences of a ban. Mayor Quinton Lucas has called the ordinance a step in the right direction and there is broad expectation it will pass. A neighboring suburb, Independence, is considering a similar move next month. Read the original report at KSHB 41.

Utah lawmakers are advancing three separate proposals to address kratom, a Southeast Asian plant often marketed for pain relief and energy. Republican Sen. Evan Vickers introduced SB48, targeting regulation of the chemical 7‑Hydroxymitragynine, and SB101, which would impose a tax on kratom products. Meanwhile, Sen. Michael McKell proposed SB45, which would classify kratom and its derivatives as Schedule I substances—effectively banning them.

Supporters of regulation argue for evidence-based oversight, while opponents of a full ban cite kratom’s role in managing chronic pain and opioid withdrawal. All three bills have cleared initial legislative hurdles and now head to further debate.

Read the full story by Ethan Rauschkolb at KUER.org.

The Spokane City Council has postponed a proposed ban on the plant-based drug kratom while Washington state lawmakers debate broader regulations.

Instead, council members opted to wait at least two months as two Senate bills move forward. Senate Bill 6287 would set labeling rules, restrict sales to those over 21, and allow local bans. Senate Bill 6196 proposes a steep 95% tax on kratom sales and state licensing for distributors.

If the state Legislature makes no progress by spring, Spokane may revisit its own ban.
Read the full report at The Spokesman-Review.

Montana lawmakers are exploring ways to regulate kratom before the 2027 legislative session amid growing concern over synthetic versions of the drug. Use of both natural and synthetic kratom products has surged nationwide in recent decades, prompting 18 states to regulate manufacturing and sales and six to classify certain compounds as controlled substances as of April 2025.

Montana has no statewide laws on kratom, a gap members of the Law and Justice Interim Committee highlighted during a Jan. 14 hearing. A 2025 bill to restrict high levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine and bar sales to those under 21 stalled in committee, leaving regulation to local governments such as the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council and Yellowstone County. Lawmakers plan to reconvene in March after studying approaches in other states, including an emergency 180-day ban on synthetic kratom by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy. Read the original report at the Daily Inter Lake.

The American Kratom Association (AKA) has criticized the Ohio Board of Pharmacy for its unanimous decision to classify natural kratom’s key compound, mitragynine, as a controlled substance — a move the group calls “scientifically unjustified.”

In a statement, the AKA expressed deep concern that the Board reached its decision “without a single question” during deliberations, relying on what it described as outdated federal data long rejected by health officials. Both HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary have clarified that enforcement should target synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine products, not natural kratom leaf. The AKA has urged Ohio lawmakers to intervene and reverse the decision, calling it a threat to consumers who use kratom as a safer alternative to opioids.

Read the full statement from the American Kratom Association.

The Berkeley County Coroner’s Office in South Carolina will hold a public forum on Tuesday to discuss kratom, a plant-based substance often used for pain relief and anxiety. The event, hosted in partnership with the Ernest E. Kennedy Center and Wake Up Carolina, aims to give residents a clearer understanding of kratom’s local impact and the latest medical findings surrounding its use.

While some people use kratom to manage pain or opioid withdrawal, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns it is not approved as a dietary supplement. The free town hall will include expert-led discussions and community data.

Read more via MSN News.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed two new laws regulating the sale and labeling of kratom, a psychoactive plant-based substance. The legislation bans sales to anyone under 21 and requires warning labels stating possible health risks, including agitation, liver damage, and death. Advertising kratom as “all-natural” is also prohibited.

The new laws follow advocacy from Saratoga County resident Cari Scribner, whose son Nickolas died in 2024 after using the substance. Hochul credited Scribner’s efforts in pushing the legislation forward, calling her a “fierce advocate” for public health.

Violators face fines up to $500 for retailers and $1,000 for manufacturers. The labeling requirements take effect in 2026. Full story available at Saratoga TODAY.

New York State has introduced stricter controls on kratom, an herbal product often marketed as a natural stimulant or pain reliever. Governor Kathy Hochul signed two bills aimed at improving public safety and product transparency. The first measure bans sales of kratom to anyone under 21, with fines up to $500 per offense. The second requires all kratom products to display warning labels outlining addiction risks, possible drug interactions, and a full list of ingredients.

Health officials warn that concentrated forms of kratom, or products adulterated with synthetic compounds, can act like opioids and pose serious health risks. The New York State Department of Health will begin monitoring these substances more closely.

Read the full story at Sun Community News.

Fresno city officials have reversed course on a proposed kratom ban, instead approving an ordinance that permits the sale of natural-leaf kratom to adults while banning concentrated derivatives. Under the new law, taking effect in January 2026, retailers may sell kratom products only to customers aged 21 and over, provided levels of the psychoactive compound 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) remain below 1% of total alkaloids.

Councilmember Nelson Esparza, who introduced the amendment, said the goal was to balance public safety with respect for kratom’s traditional cultural use. Fresno County is considering a similar policy with a 2% 7-OH limit.

Read the full report by Tim Sheehan via KVPR.

DENVER – Colorado’s new Daniel Bregger Act is reshaping the conversation around kratom by tightening safety rules without banning the herbal supplement that many users credit with easing pain and opioid withdrawal. The law caps highly concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine products, restricts sales to adults over 21 and requires clearer labeling, moves designed to steer consumers toward traditional leaf-based kratom and away from risky gas-station style shots.​

Researchers, backed by multimillion-dollar NIH funding, are simultaneously probing kratom’s alkaloids as candidates for safer pain medicines and treatments for opioid dependence. Early work suggests some compounds may relieve pain and withdrawal with less danger of respiratory depression, strengthening calls to regulate, not prohibit, kratom. A fuller exploration of these developments appears in The Conversation’s analysis.