Kratom Legal Status 2026: What’s Changed and What It Means for You

Kratom’s legal landscape has shifted more in the past two years than in the decade before, and the pace isn’t slowing. Several states are moving fast with legislation – and not all in the same direction. Some states have enacted bans, others reversed them, and a growing number have landed somewhere in between. Here’s where things stand as of June 2026.

Why are kratom laws changing?

The short answer: 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine).

7-OH is an alkaloid in kratom leaf present in trace amounts – typically 0.01-0.04% of total leaf content. For context, some states cap 7-OH in commercial kratom products as low as 1% of total alkaloid content – a limit set specifically to prevent concentrated or adulterated products.

Over the past few years, vendors began isolating and artificially spiking 7-OH far beyond that threshold – flooding gas stations and smoke shops with highly concentrated products. In fact, these shops are commonly incentivized to hand out 7-OH as free samples – via discounts on wholesale orders – with little to no labeling. They’re marketed under names like “advanced kratom alkaloids”, blurring the line between synthetic derivatives and traditional kratom.

Regulators noticed. So did emergency rooms. In fact, in July 2025, the FDA formally recommended that the DEA place 7-OH on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act – the same list as heroin.

FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary called it “potentially the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic.” The DEA is currently reviewing his recommendation, with a public comment period expected before any final decision. The FDA also drew a clear line – their concern is concentrated and synthetic 7-OH products, not natural kratom leaf. That distinction is now shaping how states are drafting legislation.

However, since kratom naturally contains trace amounts of 7-OH, the regulatory net in some states has swept up natural kratom alongside synthetic products – leaving the industry fragmented and users uncertain about what’s actually legal where they live.

What is the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA)?

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) is a set of laws developed by the American Kratom Association that keeps kratom legal while establishing clear consumer protections.

Essentially, it’s the middle ground between prohibition and a free-for-all. You can think of it like alcohol – wine is legal, but those who make and sell it need licenses, labeling requirements, and it can’t be sold to minors. KCPA applies the same logic to kratom so that consumers know what they’re getting and to prevent synthetic products – such as 7-OH – from being sold under the kratom umbrella.

As of 2026, 17 states have adopted some form of KCPA. This is great news for kratom users because these states have the most transparent, consistently tested products on the market. 

Note: Legal doesn’t always mean unrestricted – rules vary by state, and some legal states have local bans. See the full state-by-state breakdown below.

Alabama: Banned. Classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal statewide. 7-OH banned by extension.

Alaska: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

Arizona: Legal. KCPA enacted. 18+ required. 7-OH capped at 2% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids banned.

Arkansas: Banned. Classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal statewide. 7-OH banned by extension.

California: Banned (de facto). The state health department declared kratom and 7-OH illegal to sell or manufacture statewide. This is an administrative action, not a Schedule I law, so personal possession isn’t criminalized under state law. A pending bill would regulate rather than ban it. Local bans in San Diego, Oceanside, and Newport Beach.

Colorado: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. 7-OH capped at 2% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids banned. Local bans in Denver, Monument, Parker, and Greenwood Village.

Connecticut: Banned. Classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal statewide. 7-OH banned by extension.

Delaware: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

Florida: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. Concentrated 7-OH banned and classified as a Schedule I controlled substance – natural leaf exempt. Local ban in Sarasota County, covering all kratom forms including extracts, liquids, and 7-OH products.

Georgia: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. 7-OH capped at 1mg per serving. Concentrated 7-OH banned outright.

Hawaii: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

Idaho: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

Illinois: Legal. 18+ required. No 7-OH-specific law. Local bans covering all kratom forms (including extracts, liquids, and 7-OH products) in Jerseyville, Alton, Glen Carbon, Edwardsville, Wood River, Des Plaines, Orland Park, Marion, Herrin, Johnston City, Eldorado, Morton, Pekin, Murphysboro, Godfrey, Elk Grove Village, East Peoria, Bloomington, McLeansboro, Cobden, Peoria Heights, Tremont, Creve Coeur, Washington, Antioch, Maryville, Pike County, and Jackson County (unincorporated areas).

Indiana: Banned. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal statewide. 7-OH banned by extension.

Iowa: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

Kansas: Banned. Classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. 7-OH banned by extension.

Kentucky: Legal until January 1, 2027. Regulated under KCPA (21+); concentrated 7-OH is banned as a Schedule I substance. House Bill 757 replaces this framework with a total statewide ban on all kratom sales effective January 1, 2027.

Louisiana: Banned. Classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal statewide and carry criminal penalties. 7-OH banned by extension.

Maine: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

Maryland: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. Synthetic alkaloids banned.

Massachusetts: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law. Local bans covering all kratom forms (including extracts, liquids, and 7-OH products) in Dracut, Chelmsford, Canton, Northampton, Kingston, Marshfield, Bourne, Pembroke, Weymouth, Foxborough, Rockland, Lowell, and Belchertown.

Michigan: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law. Full ban bill pending in state Senate.

Minnesota: Legal. 21+ required. No 7-OH-specific law, but 7-OH and kratom are both bundled under the 21+ age limit.

Mississippi: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. 7-OH capped at 1% of total alkaloids and 0.5mg per container. Synthetic alkaloids banned. Local bans completely or partially prohibit kratom products in Alcorn County, Calhoun County, Itawamba County, Lee County, Lowndes County, Monroe County, Noxubee County, Prentiss County, Tippah County, Tishomingo County, Belmont, Booneville, Columbus, Corinth, New Albany, Oxford, Pontotoc, Ridgeland, Starkville, and Tupelo.

Missouri: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific state law. Local ordinances in Kansas City, Rolla, and Blue Springs ban concentrated 7-OH but keep natural leaf kratom legal for adults 21+ under strict licensing rules.

Montana: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law. Local bans covering all kratom forms (including extracts, liquids, and 7-OH products) in Yellowstone County and Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

Nebraska: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. 7-OH capped at 2% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids banned.

Nevada: Legal. KCPA enacted. 18+ required. 7-OH capped at 2% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids banned.

New Hampshire: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law. Local bans covering all kratom forms (including extracts, liquids, and 7-OH products) in Franklin and Nashua.

New Jersey: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

New Mexico: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law. Local ban in Albuquerque, which includes all kratom forms.

New York: Legal. 21+ required. No 7-OH-specific law. Local ban in Nassau County, which includes all kratom forms.

North Carolina: Legal for adults 21+. Concentrated 7-OH products are banned. Natural kratom products are limited to a maximum of 2% 7-OH content.

North Dakota: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

Ohio: Legal for natural leaf and powder only. 7-OH, extracts, capsules, shots, and liquid/drink products banned.

Oklahoma: Legal. KCPA enacted. 18+ required. 7-OH capped at 1% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids banned.

Oregon: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. 7-OH capped at 2% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids banned.

Pennsylvania: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law.

Rhode Island: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. Stocked behind the counter only. Synthetic alkaloids and concentrated 7-OH banned; natural 7-OH capped at 1% of total alkaloids. First state to reverse a prior ban (ban reversed on April 1, 2026).

South Carolina: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. Stocked behind the counter only. Concentrated 7-OH banned.

South Dakota: Legal. 21+ required. 7-OH capped at 2% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids and concentrated 7-OH banned.

Tennessee: Banned. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal statewide. 7-OH banned by extension.

Texas: Legal. KCPA enacted. 18+ required. 7-OH capped at 2% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids banned.

Utah: Legal. Pure leaf only. 21+ required. Sold only at smoke shops. Extracts, shots, gummies, enhanced products, and concentrated 7-OH all banned.

Vermont: Banned. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal statewide. 7-OH banned by extension.

Virginia: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. Stocked behind the counter. Concentrated 7-OH banned. Natural 7-OH in leaf products capped.

Washington: Legal. No statewide restrictions. No 7-OH-specific law. Local bans in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Othello, and Cle Elum include all forms: extracts, liquids, 7-OH; retail sale only, not possession.

Washington DC: Banned. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal districtwide. 7-OH banned by extension.

West Virginia: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. 7-OH capped at 28mg per serving (112mg mitragynine limit). Synthetic material and vape-style items banned.

Wisconsin: Banned. Classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Purchase, possession, and sale are illegal statewide. 7-OH banned by extension.

Wyoming: Legal. KCPA enacted. 21+ required. 7-OH capped at 2% of total alkaloids. Synthetic alkaloids banned.

Most of the oldest full kratom bans – Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Vermont, and Wisconsin – came during a time when US regulators were still unfamiliar with kratom and defaulted to prohibition instead of oversight. There was no distinction made between kratom and synthetic derivatives and bans were passed with minimal pushback.

The more recent bans grew out of the same concern over concentrated 7-OH. But where states like Florida and Mississippi targeted synthetic and concentrated products while keeping natural leaf legal, Louisiana, Connecticut, Tennessee, and Kansas chose broader bans that included natural leaf as well.

States that adopted the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) found a more precise solution that targets the root of the problem while keeping natural kratom accessible – and fortunately, that model is gaining ground.

Rather than a sweeping ban of all kratom products, many states have addressed the 7-OH problem directly by limiting how much can be present in commercial products. Most KCPA states set the threshold at 2% of total alkaloid content, which permits natural kratom products while effectively banning products that have been artificially spiked or synthetically isolated.

Several states apply even stricter limits:

• Mississippi caps 7-OH at 1% of total alkaloids and 0.5mg per container.
• Oklahoma caps it at 1%.
• Georgia prohibits any product containing more than 1mg per serving.
• Florida and Kentucky classify concentrated 7-OH as Schedule I drugs.

For consumers, a 7-OH cap is generally a safer market because it means products get tested, potency isn’t artificially spiked, and the synthetic products that triggered the current regulatory wave get reeled in.

Several states have active bills that could change their status before the end of the year.

Georgia, South Carolina, and West Virginia all have active bills that would undo their existing KCPA protections and reclassify kratom as a banned substance – none have passed as of June 2026.

Illinois has two competing bills: one to establish KCPA protections with a 21+ age requirement and 2% 7-OH cap, another to ban kratom outright. Neither has passed as of June 2026.

Massachusetts has two competing bills: one to ban kratom statewide, another to establish KCPA protections. Neither has passed as of June 2026, but there has been an increase in local bans across the state over the past year.

Michigan has the most significant pending action: a full kratom ban passed the House in March 2026 and is currently sitting in the Senate Committee on Government Operations. If it passes, Michigan joins the banned states list.

Vermont, one of the original ban states, has a pending bill that would reverse its ban – which would make it only the second state in U.S. history to do so after Rhode Island.

The current regulatory wave isn’t because of kratom – it’s because of what the kratom market became when bad actors started isolating and concentrating 7-OH far beyond anything the plant naturally produces. These products discard the balance of kratom’s natural alkaloid profile and artificially spike potency to levels only achievable through synthetic processing – and they’re sold under the kratom umbrella with little to no transparency about what it actually contains. The FDA, American Kratom Association, and a growing number of state legislatures have all drawn the same line between kratom and 7-OH.

Mount Kratom has never sold synthetic derivatives like 7-OH – just natural, whole-leaf kratom with mitragynine percentages clearly listed on each product. Every batch undergoes rigorous testing and screening for contaminants, heavy metals, and potency through a third-party ISO-accredited lab so that consumers gain peace of mind about what is and isn’t in their products.

As of 2026, kratom remains unscheduled at the federal level. The DEA has not classified it as a controlled substance, despite attempts dating back to 2016 that were withdrawn following significant public and congressional pushback. The FDA continues to issue concerns about 7-OH products with enforcement actions and warning letters, but no federal ban on natural kratom is in effect. If one thing is certain, it’s that the regulatory picture will continue to shift and evolve through 2026 and beyond.

For the most current information on where Mount Kratom ships, check our shipping page.

Last updated: June 2026. Kratom laws change fast and differ by city and county. This guide is for general information, not legal advice. Always confirm the current rules in your area before buying, carrying, or shipping kratom.