WEEKLY KRATOM UPDATES: JUNE 2026
Here are the most newsworthy kratom updates as of June 1, 2026:
1. California is the biggest immediate story
California has moved from “gray area” into active enforcement. CDPH says foods, dietary supplements, and medical drugs containing kratom or 7-OH are illegal to sell or manufacture in California, and Gov. Newsom’s office reported 95% compliance after a statewide push. The state also says CDPH has seized more than $5 million in kratom and 7-OH products since its October 24, 2025 warning.
For ETHA, this is the most urgent item because the California position appears to treat kratom-containing foods, drinks, supplements, and 7-OH products as unlawful under existing food/drug authority, even without a traditional state statute banning kratom possession. Additionally, foods, dietary supplements, and drugs containing kratom or 7-OH are illegal to sell or manufacture.
2. 7-OH is becoming the regulatory flashpoint nationally
FDA formally recommended that DEA schedule certain 7-hydroxymitragynine / 7-OH products under the Controlled Substances Act in July 2025. FDA’s framing is important: its warning focuses on products with added or enhanced 7-OH, while acknowledging that 7-OH occurs naturally in trace amounts in kratom leaf.
The practical takeaway: regulators are increasingly separating natural leaf kratom from chemically concentrated or enhanced 7-OH products, but some state and local enforcement actions are sweeping broadly enough to hit the whole kratom category.
3. CDC poison-center data is driving headlines and legislation
A March 2026 CDC MMWR found kratom-related poison center exposure reports rose about 1,200% from 2015 to 2025, from 258 to 3,434 reports, with a marked surge in 2025. CDC said the most severe outcomes were often tied to multiple-substance exposures, frequently involving addictive substances and antidepressants.
CDC also published a separate 2026 report on kratom-containing kava products, which matters because regulators and media are increasingly focused on beverages, shots, and wellness-style products rather than only capsules or powder.
4. Ohio’s emergency action is a model other states may copy
Ohio issued an emergency rule in December 2025 banning many kratom-related products for 180 days, while Ohio’s own retailer notice says natural kratom in vegetation form containing trace 7-OH may still be legally sold.
That distinction is worth watching: it suggests one possible regulatory pathway where states restrict extracts, synthetic/modified/enhanced 7-OH, and finished consumer formats, while leaving raw or natural leaf material in a different category.
5. Tennessee passed new kratom legislation
Tennessee’s SB1656/HB1649 package passed and became Public Chapter 950 on May 15, 2026, with an effective date listed as July 1, 2026. The bill is tied to “Matthew Davenport’s Law” and creates new requirements and offenses related to kratom.
This is another signal that kratom is moving from niche supplement regulation into broader controlled-substance/public-health legislation in some states.
6. Local bans are spreading, especially in California and New York
Nassau County, New York moved to ban kratom countywide after previously allowing adult sales under state law. San Mateo County, California also moved toward a kratom and 7-OH sales ban in unincorporated areas, with local officials citing addiction and overdose concerns.
This matters because even where state law is unclear or incomplete, counties and cities may create retail-level restrictions that affect smoke shops, gas stations, kava bars, and grocery accounts.
7. FDA’s overall kratom position remains hostile
FDA’s updated public page says it has not approved any kratom drug products, continues to warn consumers not to use kratom, and states that kratom is not lawfully marketed as a dietary supplement and cannot be lawfully added to conventional foods.
For business planning, that means the federal food/supplement position remains a major risk even though kratom is not federally scheduled by DEA.
Regulators are using 7-OH, beverages, shots, gummies, and “gas station drug” narratives to justify broader kratom crackdowns. At ETHA we continue to emphasize natural kratom leaf, testing, age-gating, no youth-oriented formats, no disease claims, no enhanced 7-OH, COA transparency, and support for clear KCPA-style regulation NOT outright prohibition.
