DeWine still pursuing kratom ban after brief pause

SANDUSKY — The DeWine administration paused its efforts to ban kratom sales in Ohio, but it's still seeking a ban, DeWine's top spokesman says. Meanwhile, the federal government is moving separately to ban kratom extracts nationwide. Kratom — defined by Drugs.com as "a herbal substance that has a stimulant and opioid-like effect" — is widely sold in Ohio in smoke shops and convenience stores. While it is used by Americans to self-treat various conditions, it has also been considered a drug of abuse. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who has described kratom products as "essentially legal, over-the-counter opiates that anyone — including kids — can buy with just a few bucks," announced on Aug. 25 that he's asking the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to ban all natural and synthetic kratom compounds by designating them as illegal drugs. The governor's proposed ban seemed to be on the fast track when the pharmacy board scheduled a special meeting on Aug. 27, just two days later, to consider the governor's request. But the meeting was canceled. Kratom supporters claimed victory for the slowdown, but Cameron McNamee, a spokesman for the pharmacy board, provided a different explanation. "The meeting was put on hold to allow the governor's office to have some additional conversations with the FDA regarding their recent announcement to take action on kratom," McNamee said. Federal action On July 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it is asking the Drug Enforcement Administration to ban 7-OH, a concentrated kratom byproduct, by having the DEA declare the product a controlled substance. The FDA stated it's not taking action against natural kratom leaf products but is targeting concentrated kratom, which is labeled "dangerous, illegal opioids." The DEA is considering the request and is required to allow time for public comments, an FDA press release says. DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney says the governor paused his efforts at the request of federal officials. "The governor had a conversation with HHS Secretary RFK Jr., who asked that the governor have a conversation with the FDA before proceeding," Tierney said. "Those conversations continue and are going well." But Tierney added that the governor hasn't lost interest in a state ban. "The FDA agrees with the governor's concerns on kratom and is pursuing its own kratom ban. The governor will continue to pursue a kratom ban in Ohio," Tierney said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration, said on July 29 that he supports the ban on kratom extracts, calling it "a critical step in the fight against opioid addiction." Erie County health department officials told the Register that patients in the department's detox center have been treated for kratom addiction. Kratom is a tropical tree found in Southeast Asia. Products from its leaves are widely sold in the U.S., the FDA says. At low doses, it acts as a stimulant, while at high doses it resembles an opioid. "FDA has warned consumers not to use kratom because of the risk of serious adverse events, including liver toxicity, seizures, and substance use disorder," says an FDA document on kratom. "In rare cases, deaths have been associated with kratom use, as confirmed by a medical examiner or toxicology reports. However, in these cases, kratom was usually used in combination with other drugs, and the contribution of kratom in the deaths is unclear." The DeWine administration claims, "Kratom was found to be a cause of death in more than 200 unintentional overdose deaths in Ohio from 2019 to 2024." FDA officials say they are particularly upset about products with kratom extracts that could be marketed to young people, such as fruit-flavored gummies and ice cream cones. FDA officials say that in June, the agency sent warning letters to seven companies for illegally distributing products containing 7-OH, including tablets, gummies, drink mixes and shots. "Kratom is often used to self-treat conditions such as pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety and depression, opioid use disorder, and opioid withdrawal. An estimated 1.7 million Americans aged 12 and older used kratom in 2021, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health," the FDA states.