COLUMBUS, Ohio — An emergency rule that took effect Dec. 12 makes many kratom-derived products illegal to sell, possess, or distribute in Ohio, according to a consumer and retailer notice from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
The rule, listed as Ohio Administrative Code 4729:9-1-01.1, targets “kratom-related products” — including derivatives such as 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, dihydro-7-hydroxy mitragynine, and 7-acetoxymitragynine.
Retailers were urged to check product labels for those compounds in items such as capsules, tablets, vapes, gummies, and drinks, and to dispose of banned products immediately if found on shelves or in their possession.
The Board of Pharmacy said the emergency rule will be effective for 180 days while it pursues a permanent rule to ban kratom-related products statewide.
The notice draws a distinction between the newly banned derivatives and “natural kratom in its vegetation form,” which it says is exempt under Gov. Mike DeWine’s executive order. Those products — made from the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree — are not covered by the emergency ban, though the board noted they may still face restrictions under Ohio Department of Agriculture guidance.
In the notice, the board also said DeWine has asked it to pursue scheduling of mitragynine — the primary active compound found in the natural plant — a pathway that would allow for hearings as legislation on kratom regulation is introduced.
Kratom, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, has become widely available in the U.S. online and in stores, often sold as powders, capsules, extracts, gummies and drinks. Some users say they take it to relieve pain, boost energy, ease anxiety or manage opioid withdrawal symptoms, but health officials have warned that kratom products can carry significant risks.
Federal regulators say kratom is not an approved drug and has not been proven safe or effective for medical use. Reported risks linked to kratom and concentrated kratom extracts include nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, liver injury and seizures. Public health experts also warn that kratom can be habit-forming and can cause dependence and withdrawal symptoms, particularly with frequent use or high-dose products.
Concerns have intensified around highly concentrated kratom derivatives such as 7-hydroxymitragynine, which some researchers and regulators describe as more potent than mitragynine and more likely to produce opioid-like effects at higher doses. Officials have also warned that the strength of products can vary widely and that some items sold as kratom have been found to contain other substances.
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy encouraged retailers and consumers to review product labels carefully and said the rule applies to kratom-related products in a range of formats, including vapes, gummies and beverages.
State regulators have not announced how enforcement will be carried out, but the board’s notice warns that covered products are now considered banned under the emergency rule and should not be stocked or sold in Ohio.
Read the full consumer/ retailer notice here: https://bit.ly/48WXN0O