Is Kratom Legal in Ohio? 2026 Laws & Emergency Rules

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Home Legality & Compliance Is Kratom Legal in Ohio? 2026 Laws & Emergency Rules

allnaturalartisan
March 1, 2026

Can You Buy Kratom in Ohio?

Natural kratom is currently legal in Ohio — but the situation is changing fast.

As of early 2026, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy has banned most kratom-related products under an emergency rule. Natural kratom leaf and powder are explicitly exempted.

But a formal rulemaking process to schedule natural kratom as a Schedule I drug is now underway, and the outcome will determine whether Ohio becomes the first state to criminalize natural kratom outright.

Here’s what you need to know right now:

Concentrated 7-OH and synthetic kratom compounds are banned statewide. Emergency rule OAC 4729:9-1-01.1 went into effect December 12, 2025.
Natural kratom leaf and powder are currently exempt from the emergency rule — but formal rulemaking to schedule them is in progress.
Two KCPA-style bills — SB 299 and HB 587 — are moving through the legislature as a regulatory alternative to an outright ban.

Ohio is the most active kratom regulatory story in the country right now.

Ohio Kratom Status — Quick Reference

Status	Details
Natural kratom legal status	⚠️ Currently legal — Schedule I rulemaking in progress
KCPA adopted	❌ No
No statewide kratom statute	✅ Correct — regulated by emergency rule only
Concentrated 7-OH / synthetic compounds	🚫 Banned — emergency rule (Dec 12, 2025)
Emergency rule expiration	June 10, 2026
Minimum purchase age	18+
Local bans	None Known
Online ordering	⚠️ Yes, but monitoring — see shipping note below

Ohio Emergency Rule — What It Covers

On December 12, 2025, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy issued emergency rule OAC 4729:9-1-01.1, making it illegal to sell, possess, or distribute most kratom-related products in Ohio.

What triggered it: Governor Mike DeWine had been pushing the Board of Pharmacy since August 2025 to schedule all kratom compounds — natural and synthetic — as Schedule I drugs.

A planned Board meeting in August was canceled after DeWine spoke with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In December, DeWine narrowed his request to synthetic compounds specifically.

The Board issued the emergency rule the following day. The OBP’s chief pharmacist cited Ohio Department of Health data showing 202 overdose deaths between 2019 and 2024 in which kratom was listed as a cause of death.

She also cited naloxone reversals as evidence of opioid-like toxicity at high doses. The AKA’s representative disputed the presentation, pointing to an FDA human trial that found kratom well-tolerated at all dose levels tested — including 8 grams — with nausea at 12 grams comparable to placebo.

What the rule bans: The rule targets mitragynine-related compounds including 7-OH, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, dihydro-7-hydroxy mitragynine, and 7-acetoxymitragynine. Products containing these compounds are illegal to sell, possess, or distribute.

What’s explicitly exempted: Products composed solely of mitragynine — including natural kratom in its vegetation form — are specifically excluded from the emergency rule. Pure kratom leaf and powder fall under this exemption.

How long it lasts: Emergency rules run for 180 days. This rule expires June 10, 2026. The Board is required to propose a permanent rule before expiration.

The Natural Kratom Scheduling Attempt — What's in Progress

This is the more significant development — and the part most pages haven’t caught up with.

What happened on January 6, 2026: The Ohio Board of Pharmacy initiated separate formal rulemaking to place mitragynine — the primary alkaloid in natural kratom — under Schedule I. This is a separate action from the emergency rule and applies to natural kratom, not just synthetic compounds.

The AKA called the vote “profound disappointment,” pointing out that both HHS Secretary Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Makary had explicitly stated that natural kratom leaf products are not a federal enforcement priority.

What the rulemaking process requires: The proposed rule must be reviewed by the Common Sense Initiative in the governor’s office and the Ohio General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). Public testimony is permitted. The public comment period closed January 28, 2026.

Has it become law? No. As of early 2026, natural kratom has not been scheduled. The rulemaking is in process. JCARR review and the JCARR’s next scheduled meeting must occur before any permanent rule takes effect.

What would it mean if it passes? Ohio would become the first state to specifically schedule mitragynine — the primary alkaloid in natural kratom leaf — as a Schedule I controlled substance. That would effectively make possession of kratom powder a criminal matter under Ohio law.

The Legislative Alternative — SB 299 and HB 587

While the Board of Pharmacy moves toward scheduling, the Ohio General Assembly is considering a different approach.

SB 299 was introduced in the Ohio Senate in October 2025. HB 587, the House companion bill, followed in November 2025. Both bills are modeled on KCPA frameworks in other states.

What SB 299 / HB 587 would do:

Require food processing and retail establishments to register kratom products with the Director of Agriculture
Prohibit kratom products containing more than 2% 7-OH
Ban synthetic kratom-like compounds
Require labeling disclosing mitragynine and 7-OH content
Prohibit sales to anyone under 18

How this interacts with the Board of Pharmacy action: SB 299 and HB 587 represent the regulatory path — allowing natural kratom to remain available under defined standards.

The OBP scheduling process represents the prohibition path. Both are moving simultaneously. Which one prevails depends on whether the legislature acts before the permanent scheduling rule is finalized.

Sen. Blessing has also raised the possibility of adding a kratom excise tax to SB 299, noting that Mississippi taxes kratom at 25%. Rep. Lorenz has indicated HB 587 will not include an excise tax.

HB 236, a previous KCPA bill that passed the Ohio House in 2022, had specifically barred the Board of Pharmacy from scheduling kratom. That provision didn’t make it through the Senate. Its absence is part of why the OBP can now initiate scheduling independently.

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Ohio's Kratom Legislative Timeline

Year	What Happened
2016	OBP initiates scheduling of mitragynine/7-OH — rule approved but never adopted
2019	HB 318 (KCPA, 18+ age limit) — dies in committee
2022	HB 236 (KCPA + OBP scheduling ban) — passes House; stalls in Senate
2023	SB 103 (KCPA) — dies in committee
Aug 2025	Gov. DeWine calls for full kratom scheduling; OBP meeting canceled after RFK Jr. talks
Oct 2025	SB 299 introduced; HB 587 companion bill follows in November
Dec 2025	DeWine refocuses request on synthetic compounds
Dec 2025	OBP issues emergency rule OAC 4729:9-1-01.1 — bans synthetic/concentrated compounds
Dec 2025	Clarification: natural kratom in vegetation form is exempt
Jan 2026	OBP initiates formal rulemaking to schedule natural kratom (mitragynine)
Jan 28th, 2026	Public comment deadline on natural kratom scheduling
Jun 10th, 2026	Emergency rule expiration date

Ordering Kratom Online in Ohio

The emergency rule targets retail sale, possession, and distribution within Ohio. Natural kratom leaf and powder are currently exempt.

ANA is monitoring Ohio developments closely. The situation between now and June 2026 — when the emergency rule expires and the permanent rulemaking decision is made — will determine Ohio’s long-term status.

ANA's current Ohio position:


Natural kratom powder / leaf	⚠️ Currently exempt from emergency rule — monitoring
Kratom capsules	🚫 Non-compliant under OBP guidance — not shipping
Kratom extracts / enhanced products	🚫 Covered by emergency rule — not shipping
Isolated 7-OH	🚫 Banned

We recommend checking this page before ordering. This is the most rapidly changing kratom regulatory situation in the country.

How to Support Kratom Regulation in Ohio

Ohio’s outcome will be decided by the legislative process — and that process is still open.

SB 299 and HB 587 are the vehicles for keeping natural kratom legal under a regulated framework. Both bills are in committee.

Legislators respond to constituent contact, particularly when it includes personal experience rather than form letters.

Contact the Senate General Government Committee

SB 299 is currently before this committee. Reaching members directly is the most effective action Ohio residents can take.

Sen. Louis W. Blessing III (Sponsor) — blessing@ohiosenate.gov
Sen. Kristina D. Roegner (Chair) — roegner@ohiosenate.gov
Sen. Theresa Gavarone (Vice Chair) — gavarone@ohiosenate.gov
Sen. Willis E. Blackshear Jr. (Ranking Member) — blackshear@ohiosenate.gov
Sen. Bill Reineke — reineke@ohiosenate.gov
Sen. William P. DeMora — demora@ohiosenate.gov
Sen. Steve Huffman — shuffman@ohiosenate.gov

What to include in your message: Keep it brief. Identify yourself as an Ohio resident, state your support for SB 299 as a regulatory framework over prohibition, and include any relevant personal context. Emails from constituents in a senator’s district carry the most weight — mention your city.

Contact your own state senator Find your district representative at legislature.ohio.gov. A short personal message to your own senator carries more weight than a mass email to the full committee.

Stay informed The JCARR review process and the Board of Pharmacy rulemaking both have public-facing components. The American Kratom Association (americankratom.org) maintains active tracking on Ohio developments and will post updates when new testimony windows or hearings are announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is kratom legal in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati?

Natural kratom leaf and powder are currently legal statewide — no cities have passed local bans. Ohio’s regulatory action is happening at the state level through the Board of Pharmacy and the General Assembly.

What did the Ohio Board of Pharmacy actually ban?

The December 2025 emergency rule banned synthetic and concentrated mitragynine-related compounds, including 7-OH, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, and related derivatives. Natural kratom in vegetation form — leaf and powder — is explicitly exempted from the emergency rule.

Is Ohio trying to ban natural kratom?

Yes, through a separate formal rulemaking process. On January 6, 2026, the OBP initiated rules to schedule mitragynine — the primary alkaloid in natural kratom leaf — as a Schedule I substance. This is still in process and has not become law. If it passes JCARR review and takes effect, Ohio would be the first state to criminalize natural kratom specifically.

What are SB 299 and HB 587?

These are KCPA-style bills introduced in 2025 that would create a regulatory framework for kratom in Ohio — banning synthetic compounds while keeping natural kratom legal under defined standards. They represent the alternative to the Board of Pharmacy’s scheduling approach. As of early 2026, both are in committee.

What happens when the emergency rule expires on June 10, 2026?

The Board must propose a permanent rule before that date. Depending on how the JCARR review and legislative processes play out, Ohio’s kratom landscape could look very different by mid-2026. ANA will update this page when the situation changes.

Does Ohio have a minimum purchase age for kratom?

No. Current state law does not establish a minimum age. SB 299 and HB 587 would set 18+ if passed. ANA applies its own 21+ standard regardless of state requirements.

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