Ohio officials are intensifying efforts to crack down on kratom, advancing from a temporary prohibition on certain products to pursuing a broader ban that could include all forms of kratom. If successful, Ohio will become the first state in the USA to make natural kratom illegal.

Emergency ban on synthetic kratom

In December 2025, Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order that immediately made synthetic kratom products illegal throughout Ohio. The order implemented an emergency rule - approved unanimously by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy - banning the sale, possession and use of chemically-derived kratom compounds, including those modified to have opioid-like strength and effects. Businesses were required to destroy existing inventory of these products; the temporary ban will remain in effect for 180 days while officials consider permanent regulations.

Supporters of the action, including families affected by addiction and deaths linked to synthetic kratom products, praised the move as a necessary public safety step. Critics, however, pointed to negative economic effects on retailers and disputed how broadly the ban should reach.

Push toward a total kratom ban

Following the emergency action on synthetics, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy voted this month to begin the process of banning natural kratom entirely, including unprocessed leaf or powder normally used in teas, capsules or other traditional forms.

The board’s proposed rule would classify mitragynine (the primary psychoactive compound in natural kratom) as a Schedule I controlled substance under Ohio law. If finalized, this would make the cultivation, sale, and possession of natural kratom illegal in the state.

Pharmacy officials cited health concerns and the drug’s activity on the brain’s opioid receptors, saying that both synthetic and natural forms present risks and lack meaningful oversight or safety testing. Emergency medicine doctors have reported patients with symptoms like tremors, nausea and other withdrawal-like effects after kratom use.

Ongoing debate and next steps

Advocates for natural kratom argue that many people use the plant safely - some as a tool to reduce alcohol use or ease anxiety - and contend that an outright ban could harm consumers and small businesses. Retailers have warned that a total prohibition would devastate their operations and push product sales into unregulated markets.

The proposed ban on natural kratom isn’t yet in force. The Pharmacy Board’s rules must undergo additional review by state regulatory committees and allow for public comment and testimony before becoming official. This phase could take several months and involves oversight from the governor’s office and the Ohio General Assembly.