Massachusetts Temporarily Classifies Kratom as Schedule I for Up to 1 Year

3 articles · Updated · The Boston Globe · Aug 13

A Massachusetts emergency order will place all kratom products into Schedule I after a two-week notice period, giving municipalities authority to act against retailers for as long as one year.
Healey said unregulated powders, capsules and gummies are being sold in gas stations and convenience stores with little oversight, while officials warned users often do not know potency or contents.
State health officials cited opioid- and stimulant-like effects from kratom’s active ingredients, saying high doses can trigger psychosis, seizures, hallucinations, addiction and overdose; kratom-linked deaths, though rare, have been reported.
The move puts Massachusetts alongside 12 other states that ban kratom or classify it as Schedule I, while the federal government still has no full ban after a 2016 effort stalled and a newer DEA action targets 7-OH-related substances.
Industry advocates opposed the blanket restriction, arguing regulators should distinguish natural kratom leaf from synthetic, highly concentrated compounds and pursue tighter controls rather than a full state ban.