Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is pushing for a sweeping prohibition on kratom compounds, asking the state's Board of Pharmacy to classify these substances as illegal drugs, mirroring the urgency expressed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding their potential harm, especially to young people. Kratom, derived from a plant native to Southeast Asia, remains unapproved by the FDA for consumption or medicinal use. However, it has been marketed for its supposed abilities to ease chronic pain, opioid addiction, and various mental disorders.
These substances, offered in forms such as powders, pills, and drink concoctions, have become especially concerning as underground chemists have begun creating synthetic analogs. These substances are addictive and potentially lethal, drawing DeWine's ire: "These modified kratom products, sold online and in stores, are essentially legal, over-the-counter opiates that anyone – including kids – can buy with just a few bucks," the governor stated in a report by the Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's Office. The Ohio Department of Health attributes kratom to over 200 unintentional overdose deaths in the state between 2019 and 2024, underscoring the grave nature of this issue.
In 2025 alone, poison control centers have already received 1,690 reports involving kratom exposure. This figure surpasses the total number of cases from the previous year. Governor DeWine is not only seeking the criminalization of existing kratom substances like mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), and the more potent mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MP), he is also preemptively targeting future synthetic iterations of the drug. His proposal, if passed, would make Ohio the first state to outlaw both natural and synthetic kratom compounds as Schedule I drugs.
The repercussions of such actions by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy would initiate a statewide removal of kratom products from store shelves. Establishments across Ohio that currently offer kratom products would be compelled to cease sales immediately, which could significantly impact local businesses involved in the trade. The FDA's recent recommendation to classify the kratom compound 7-OH under the Controlled Substances Act aligns with DeWine's approach, intending to mitigate the public health risk associated with these rapidly proliferating substances.
