Massachusetts Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, acting at the direction of Gov. Maura Healey, issued an emergency order placing all forms of kratom into Schedule I under state law. The order took effect Friday, according to 22 News WWLP.com, banning the possession, distribution, and manufacture of kratom products statewide for up to one year. The order also gives local health boards expanded authority to enforce compliance.
Kratom, derived from a Southeast Asian plant, contains naturally occurring compounds, including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7OH). The products -- sold as powders, capsules, tablets, gummies, and dissolvable strips -- have been widely available in smoke shops, gas stations, and convenience stores despite varying widely in potency and ingredients, state officials said.
Health officials cited risks associated with kratom use, including seizures, hallucinations, psychosis, physical dependence, and withdrawal, particularly when products are highly potent or combined with opioids, alcohol, or sedatives. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has separately placed concentrated 7OH and three synthetic kratom derivatives into Schedule I for up to two years, though natural kratom leaf containing trace amounts of 7OH remains exempt from the federal restriction.
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