Synthetic kratom to remain illegal in Ohio
By Nick Keller/Kent State NewsLab
Synthetic versions of kratom will remain illegal to sell in Ohio.
According to rules issued by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy on May 28, it is illegal to sell, possess, or distribute “kratom-related compounds.” This includes 7-OH, which appears in some supplements sold at gas stations and convenience stores.
This follows several months of debate. In December, Ohio identified kratom as an “imminent public health risk” linked to more than 200 unintentional overdose deaths between 2019 and 2024. The state then placed a temporary ban on synthetic kratom.
The latest rules target specific chemicals found in kratom that have been altered or concentrated in a lab. They mark high-potency “synthetic” versions as Schedule I controlled substances.
These regulations were reviewed by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review and will take effect on May 14.
The state has not yet regulated mitragynine, which is the main natural ingredient in the kratom plant — only synthetic versions of the compound. Natural leaves, powders, and standard extracts remain legal to sell.
Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia that is often used for pain relief, mood boosting and opioid withdrawal. It is often sold online or in person at vape shops, gas stations/convenience stores. Some bars also serve kratom in cocktails.
“We’ve been hearing from our partners in the community and the hospital systems that there’s been several issues of kratom, or rather the concentrate, causing opiate-like symptoms, opiate-like addiction and withdrawal,” said Cory Kendrick, director of community strategy and systems at Summit County Public Health.
Kendrick’s primary concern is how easy it became to buy kratom and similar synthetic compounds.
“I’ve seen it being sold at chain gas stations,” Kendrick said. “That’s the biggest thing. I think the biggest concern from a consumer standpoint is that you may not know what you’re getting, so it’s pretty much buyer beware.”
He added, “sellers package kratom products to look like a caffeine pill or a 5 Hour Energy shot.”
Kevin Orris, an ER and trauma-surgical ICU nurse at UH Cleveland Medical Center, shares that concern.
“I think the biggest misconception is, just because it’s over the counter doesn’t mean it’s safe,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that are over the counter that are very harmful, if taken in certain bodies.”
He said that the biggest concern with kratom users is the potential for physical dependency and addiction. Often, he says, people are using kratom as a bridge to get off opiates. Unfortunately, they may develop an addiction to kratom instead.
“The long-term effects are probably not as well known yet, just because it’s a newer kind of drug on the scene,” Orris said. “But we know a little bit more about the short-term consequences and risks.”
Summer Reyburn of the Ohio Board of Pharmacy described some of those risks in an email: “Kratom usage can also have neurologic symptoms like seizures, hallucinations and delusions. There have also been reports of extra-pyramidal symptoms, which medical professionals would see in patients who have schizophrenia. Users could also experience nonessential tremors and even psychosis.”
In lower doses, however, Reyburn said the effects are more like “taking a lot of caffeine.”
In November, Rep. Mike Odioso (R-Green Township) and Rep. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell) introduced the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. This bill would restrict sales of natural kratom to customers over 18. It would also ban synthetic 7-OH products. That bill remains in a House committee.
This story was originally published by the Kent State NewsLab, a collaborative news outlet publishing journalism by Kent State students.