A Bill to Regulate Kratom Introduced in Ohio

While kratom is legal in Ohio at the moment, not everyone wants it to remain legal. The Ohio Board of Pharmacy insists that it should be a scheduled substance. As a result, the Ohio state passed a bill that would automatically ban kratom if the DEA does so.

Thanks to the support from the kratom community, the American Kratom Association (AKA) has been able to meet with the authorities and discuss regulating kratom instead of banning it.

Action to Regulate Kratom in Ohio

On August 9^th, 2019, over a hundred kratom supporters came to the AKA press conference in support of kratom. As a result, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy decided to put the kratom ban on hold. You can view the recording of this event here.

A few days later, on August 13, 2019, a bill to regulate kratom was introduced. A little over the legislators passed the bill to the Health Committee. The sponsor of this bill is Gary Schener, a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives.

Mr. Scherer pointed out that kratom deaths aren’t actually the fault of kratom but other substances that bad actors taint kratom with. He explained that due to the growing popularity of kratom, there is increasing interest to take advantage of the situation. These bad actors lace kratom with dangerous substances and promise properties that have nothing to do with kratom.

He further explained that by regulating kratom Ohio could minimize such instances and kratom could be helpful to many people.

What Would the Kratom Consumer Protection Act Do In Ohio?

If the bill passes, then all kratom products would be regulated, and only individuals over the age of 18 would be able to buy it.

All kratom products would need to carry a label that clearly states the content and ingredients. It should not contain any misleading information about the properties of the herb.

Those who’d like to sell kratom would need to apply for a special license and lab-test their kratom products before offering them to buyers.

Civil penalties would apply if the vendor:

• fails to register a product,
• sells, produces, or otherwise handles unregistered kratom products,
• does not have accurate labels, or
• does not destroy the kratom products that are unfit for sale.

The text o the bill is not set in stone and may change over time. However, regulating kratom products in Ohio would ensure that buyers get access to pure and quality kratom products and any potentially dangerous products do not reach customers.

Those who buy kratom online would still need to be cautious. Therefore, buying kratom from vendors who like us are from the states that have already passed the KCPA would be a safer option.

Feel free to read more on kratom legality in Ohio here, or learn more about kratom legality across the United States here.