kratom advocacy news

Gavin Newsom calls kratom and 7-OH “illicit and deadly”

Though no prohibition law has passed, California Governor Gavin Newsom is voicing support for the unilateral decision by his California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to declare kratom and 7-OH products illegal and confiscate them from retail shops across the state. Gov. Newsom tweeted this on Tuesday: I will not stand by while dangerous, illegal …

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Fifth Scientific Kratom Symposium Held in Florida

The Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Nora Volkow, was the keynote speaker for this year’s Scientific Kratom Symposium. Hosted by the University of Florida College of Pharmacy at its Lake Nona research campus, the four-day event held from February 17-20, 2026, brought together roughly 100 scientists from about a dozen countries …

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Kratom Under Attack: New 2026 Bills Aim to Criminalize Consumers Across the U.S.

UPDATED MARCH 9, 2026 Note: This article lists only the bills that will potentially ban plain leaf kratom. Other bills not covered here, such as kratom consumer protection acts (KCPA), will ban all products containing more than a certain percentage (typically 2%) of 7-hyrdroxymitragynine (7-OH). Other measures, such as the emergency rule in Florida, are …

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U.S. Municipalities Escalate Crackdowns on Kratom and 7-OH

Since the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) July 29 announcement recommending 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) become a Schedule I controlled substance, many counties, cities, and towns have reacted by announcing possible bans on 7-OH, but also on plain leaf kratom, which the FDA said it is not targeting. Local municipalities have been enacting bans for years, most …

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FDA Seizes Tens of Thousands of 7-OH Products from Missouri Warehouses

The U.S. Marshals Service operating under an order from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized approximately 73,000 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products from three Missouri warehouses. The warehouses are operated by Shaman Botanicals LLC (selling products under the American Shaman brand) and Relax Relief Rejuvenate Trading LLC (selling products under the Relax Relief Rejuvenate brand). American …

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