House Bill 236, which has passed the Ohio House of Representatives, would regulate the processing of kratom and the sale of kratom products in Ohio. With House Bill 236’s enactment, Ohio would become the sixth state to regulate the processing and sale of kratom.
Backround
Kratom is a tropical tree in the coffee family native to Southeast Asia. In those areas where kratom is grown, people traditionally chew or smoke its leaves, or make them into a tea. It may also be ingested in the form of a tablet, capsule, or extract. Kratom has also been used to treat pain and diarrhea, or as a substitute for opium, and more recently as treatment for opioid withdrawal symptoms.
According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the consumption of kratom leaves in low doses produces stimulant effects, while consumption in higher doses produces sedative effects that can lead to psychotic symptoms (including hallucinations, delusion and confusion) and psychological and physiological dependence. Kratom advocates argue that its addictive effects are generally far milder than opioid dependence and claim that kratom is a valuable treatment in combatting the opioid epidemic.
Current Regulation
In 2016, the DEA announced its intent to list kratom as a Schedule I substance under the federal Controlled Substance Act, which would have effectively banned kratom in the United States. The DEA’s notice of intent was quickly withdrawn, however, due to the large number of public comments the agency received touting the beneficial uses of kratom. Although kratom remains uncontrolled under the Controlled Substances Act, the United States Food and Drug Administration has not approved kratom for any medical use, and the DEA does consider it as a “drug and chemical of concern.”
Six states—Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin—currently ban kratom. Three others–Illinois, New Hampshire and Tennessee—ban its sale and/or use by minors, but otherwise leave the substance largely unregulated. Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Oklahoma and Utah currently regulate kratom in a manner similar to that set forth in House Bill 236. The remaining states, like Ohio currently, leave kratom unregulated.
House 236 Summary
House Bill 236 would require the Ohio Department of Agriculture to create a program to monitor and regulate kratom processing—defined as “converting kratom into a kratom product,” including dietary supplements or food intended for human consumption. The bill would also prohibit the Ohio Board of Pharmacy from regulating kratom as a controlled substance under state law, and expressly provides that it is not a drug for purposes of state pharmaceutical or criminal drug laws.
Under the bill, the …….
Source: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/ohio-house-of-representatives-passes-7209266/