Is Kratom Legal in Illinois in 2023?

The 6th most populous state in the US, Illinois is the birthplace of Ronald Reagan and Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in the world.

Chicago, the largest city in Illinois, is nicknamed the Windy City though it isn’t the windiest city in the country. It isn’t even in the top 10. Yet, it has a river that flows backward and the world’s first skyscraper.

In 2019, Prairie State passed the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. It came into effect in January 2020, making Illinois the 11th state in the US to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for adults. As a result, you can legally use CBD and cannabis as long as you are 21 and older.

But what about the legal status of kratom?

Is Kratom Legal in Illinois?

Currently, kratom is legal in Illinois for those over the age of 18. However, kratom is banned in Jerseyville, Alton, Glen Carbon, and Edwardsville. There was a bill aiming to introduce the Kratom Consumer Protection Act in Illinois, but it failed.

The Southeast Asian plant kratom, scientifically known as Mitragyna speciosa, isn’t something that everyone in the United States likes. While millions of people purchase kratom to improve their quality of life, there are many looking for opportunities to ban it.

In 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced an intent to schedule kratom on a federal level. Later, it withdrew its intent, leaving kratom legislation to be determined by individual states and municipalities.

Several states, including Alabama and Indiana, chose to make kratom a controlled substance. So did a number of cities and counties in other states.

Illinois chose a slightly different path. In 2014, authorities passed the Kratom Control Act, a bill that suggested banning kratom for minors. As a result, it’s illegal for those under the age of 18 to buy or possess kratom. It’s also a Class B misdemeanor for any business to sell kratom to minors. Offenders risk getting a $500-$1,500 fine or up to 6 months of jail time.

While kratom is legal for adults in the state under this law, you can’t buy or sell it in all municipalities.

Local Kratom Bans

Jerseyville pioneered kratom bans. It first expressed concerns about it in 2012, four years before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) motivated the DEA to outlaw kratom nationwide. In 2017, Jerseyville decided to ban kratom within city limits. A year later, in 2018, the city of Alton followed suit.

Local news sources referred to kratom as an “opioid-containing herb.” Such a statement is misinforming state residents about kratom. Opioids are a type of drug that can be naturally found in the opium poppy.

Kratom, however, is not one of them. The Southeast Asian herb is scientifically known as Mitragyna speciosa. It is in the same plant family as coffee. Therefore, it relates to coffee, not opioids.

The deliberate misrepresentation of kratom also affects what people in key positions think about it. Alton Police Department Deputy Chief said that kratom hasn’t caused any deaths in the United States, but “kids are getting sick on it.”

While this statement seemingly expresses care, restrictions on underage individuals are already in place. Therefore, the primary issue is the lack of regulations to ensure the purity of kratom products.

Regardless of that, the village of Glen Carbon was the next to get kratom banned in 2019. On March 3, 2020, the neighboring Edwardsville passed a kratom ban, too.

Illinois Kratom Consumer Protection Act or a Statewide Kratom Ban?

In 2018, a state representative filed a bill that suggested amending the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. This bill aimed to expand the restrictions imposed on minors to adults. That would have meant a statewide kratom ban.

Nonetheless, in January 2019, the bill died. Thus, kratom remains legal in the state of Illinois for those over 18, except for the residents of Jerseyville, Alton, Glen Carbon, and Edwardsville.

On February 6, 2020, a new bill to regulate kratom in Illinois was introduced. The bill, the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), is an initiative by the American Kratom Association (AKA). The AKA is a non-profit activist group that wants to keep kratom legal and reverse existing bans.

While states can modify the content of the KCPA, it usually includes the following:

• Proper testing and labeling of kratom products,
• Prohibitions of the sales of kratom that contains adulterants, illegal drugs, and other harmful substances,
• Prohibitions of the sales of kratom that contains synthetic alkaloids or otherwise enhanced compounds, and
• Penalties for selling contaminated or adulterated kratom.

A week later, on February 14, 2020, a bill to ban kratom in Illinois followed.

None of the bills succeeded. Kratom is still legal for people over 18, but there are no regulations to ensure the purity of kratom products.

Where to Buy Kratom in Illinois?

It is possible to buy kratom in various smoke and vape shops as well as a few CBD and kratom specialized shop.

Nonetheless, buying kratom locally in shops that aren’t kratom specific is usually risky. Often, these stores have little to no knowledge about kratom. In addition to that, many local stores misrepresent kratom and advertise it improperly.

Thus, the best option to get pure and high-quality products is to buy kratom powder online from trusted kratom vendors. Usually, it’s also cheaper to buy kratom online. Especially if you choose a vendor who imports their products directly from the source.

Would you like to access recent information on kratom legality across the United States and a detailed kratom legality map? Check out this blog post and let us know if you have any questions or need help.