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Is Kratom Illegal in the U.S?

Is Kratom Illegal in the U.S?

by | Mar 26, 2020 | Blog

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If you live in the United States and are new to buying kratom, you might be worried that your shipment will never arrive or that you’ll get into trouble with the local authorities. In this blog post, we seek to put your mind at ease by answering the question ‘Is kratom illegal in the U.S.?’ and explaining everything else you need to know to buy safe, legal kratom.

Understanding the Controlled Substances Act

In the United States, the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) determines which substances are legal and illegal to sell, buy, and possess, and to what degree each substance is restricted.’

Thanks to massive public support for kratom and kratom-based products, Mitragyna speciosa and its main alkaloids mitragynine (MG) and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-HMG or 7-OHM) have not been listed on the federal drug schedule, even though the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) tried to place kratom on an emergency schedule in 2016.

Finding Out If Kratom Is Illegal In Your State

While kratom is not illegal at a federal level, state and local authorities do have the power to restrict the sale and use of kratom. According to the 2019 map provided by the American Kratom Association, kratom is officially banned in the following states:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Indiana
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Wisconsin

States that Have Passed the KCPA

In four states so far, the AKA has been successful in having the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) passed, so you can not only purchase kratom legally in these states, but you can also enjoy the protections of pure products, clear labeling, and the option to pursue legal action if your kratom powder is adulterated or unnaturally high in alkaloids.’

So far, these states have enacted the KCPA:

  • Arizona
  • Georgia
  • Nevada
  • Utah

In every other state, kratom is not illegal ‘ but is it also not regulated for safety.’

What About the FDA?

When asking ‘Is kratom illegal?’ customers often think about the role of the FDA in approving new food additives and drug products. In actual fact, the FDA cannot ban any drug that is not on the CSA drug schedule, nor can it approve a herbal supplement that has not been patented as a standardized drug. What the FDA can and does do is to place sanctions on companies that sell unapproved products ‘for human consumption’ or make unsubstantiated medical claims about their products. At Koko Kratom, our kratom powders are sold as ‘not for human consumption’ and we make no medical claims about our kratom.

What Is the Best Way to Buy Safe, Legal Kratom In the U.S.?

With the legal status of kratom changing regularly around the country, the best thing you can do is to follow the AKA’s updates page and stay informed about the laws where you live. For your safety and peace of mind, we will not ship our premium kratom powders anywhere that kratom is illegal and test every batch of powder for contaminants and alkaloid levels so you know that what you’re getting is the real deal. Learn more about kratom by reading our blog and shop our farm-fresh kratom today!