The Ohio Board of Pharmacy announced on Friday, December 12, 2025, that kratom-related products are now illegal in the state due to an emergency rule that bans the products.

Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia, and can often be found in the form of powders, gummies, pills and drinks, marketed as a way to manage pain, anxiety and even opioid withdrawal. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never approved kratom for medical use.

The Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 4729:9-1-01.1 makes all forms of kratom-related products, excluding products composed solely of mitragynine, illegal to sell, possess or distribute in Ohio, according to a news release outlining the ban.

According to the Ohio Department of Health, kratom was listed as a cause of death in more than 200 uninten

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