US EditionBusiness Owners Speak Out After DeWine Pushes for Kratom Ban
Governor Mike DeWine seeks to classify all kratom compounds as Schedule I drugs due to over 200 overdose deaths and rising synthetic product risks, including impacts on minors.
- Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday urged the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to classify all natural and synthetic kratom compounds as Schedule I illegal drugs, which would make Ohio the first state to comprehensively ban them.
- Citing state data, DeWine highlighted more than 200 unintentional overdose deaths from 2019 to 2024 in Ohio and 1,690 kratom exposure cases reported by poison control centers through July 2025.
- He proposed banning specific compounds including mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, citing synthetic variants by clandestine chemists linked to psychosis and death.
- The proposal would force retailers to remove all kratom products from shelves, as DeWine said these compounds are `essentially legal, over-the-counter opiates` accessible to anyone, including children.
- Business owners argued that a full ban could harm those relying on kratom to avoid opioid relapse, with Jack Smith and Natalie DeVere supporting regulation like age limits and product testing instead.
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DeWine seeks to ban sale of Asian plant, derivatives, citing 200 overdose deaths
COLUMBUS — Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday called on the state Board of Pharmacy to immediately classify all natural and synthetic kratom compounds as illegal drugs, a move that would make Ohio the first state to comprehensively ban the Southeast Asian plant and its derivatives.
·Cleveland, United States
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Leaning Left0Leaning Right3Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution70% Center
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C 70%
R 30%
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