The Ohio Board of Pharmacy issued an emergency ruling banning synthetic kratom products in the state, reported Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine originally made the request in August, but had paused his call for a kratom ban after talking with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“In reviewing this issue over the past few weeks, national experts, including the (Food and Drug Administration), agree that synthetic kratom compounds should be scheduled as illegal,” DeWine said in a statement last week.
The emergency rule makes it illegal to sell, possess or distribute synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine, known as 7-OH. Products composed solely of mitragynine, including natural kratom in its vegetation form, are not subject to the ban. A product containing mitragynine and a derivative form of kratom, such as 7-OH, is illegal to sell, possess or distribute under the ruling.
Ohio Capital Journal reports that the emergency ruling is in effect for 180 days, meaning it will expire on June 10, 2026. The Board said it will propose a permanent rule to ban kratom-related products at that time.
In July of this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended a scheduling action to control certain 7-hydroxymitragynine products under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).