“All I wanted was to feel normal again.”
Cameron became addicted to kratom when he was in college. He needed energy, and the online providers of kratom promised a "safe, plant-based herbal supplement"—a healthy alternative to alcohol that could boost mood, improve focus for studying, and even help with sleep.
In 2021, a terrifying trip to the emergency room exposed the truth. A physician told us plainly: kratom acts like an opioid—and Cameron was in severe withdrawal. He felt like he was going to die. What followed was physical and emotional torment we wouldn't wish on anyone. Recovery was long, agonizing, and seemingly hopeless at times—more like climbing a mountain on his hands and knees.
Cameron lost nearly eight years of his life to a product sold as harmless. Here’s his story.
Science Update: UVA Focuses on Uptick in Health Incidents
A new University of Virginia Health analysis, highlighted in ScienceDaily, shows a dramatic and concerning rise in kratom-related health incidents across the U.S., with poison center calls increasing more than 1,200% over the past decade. In 2025 alone, cases reached a record 3,434, accompanied by sharp increases in hospitalizations and deaths—particularly when kratom is used alongside other substances.
Researchers point to the growing availability of stronger, unregulated products as a key driver of this trend, warning that what is often marketed as a “natural” supplement is increasingly linked to serious medical complications. The findings underscore a clear takeaway: as kratom use expands, so do the risks—making public awareness and thoughtful regulation more urgent than ever.
Policy Updates: The Nation Wakes Up to the Dangers of Kratom
There’s a temptation, especially on issues like this, to push readers toward an immediate action. But sometimes the more effective move is simpler: give people a clear, human understanding of what’s at stake, and let that stay with them.
That’s the approach behind a new film centered on families who have experienced the devastating consequences of kratom-related products. Rather than policy first, it begins with people.
At the heart of the film is the story of Wyatt Wheeler, the son of Patti Wheeler, who died after suffering a seizure linked to a kratom product. His story is not presented in isolation. It sits alongside other parents who have lost children under similar circumstances, creating a fuller picture of the risks and realities surrounding these products.
What makes the film particularly compelling is that it doesn’t just tell stories—it also works to explain. Viewers are guided through what kratom is, how it is marketed, and why it can be dangerous, especially in forms that are concentrated or combined with other substances. For many, it will likely be the first time they’ve encountered this information in a clear, accessible way.
The result is something that feels less like advocacy in the traditional sense and more like a moment of understanding. It invites viewers to listen, to learn, and to consider the broader implications for families and communities.
If you’d like to learn more about the film and ongoing efforts related to kratom awareness, we invite you to visit endkratomaddiction.org for additional information.
Policy Updates: The Nation Wakes Up to the Dangers of Kratom
The dominant story of March was a surge in outright ban legislation, with several states taking steps that would criminalize kratom alongside controlled substances.
Michigan's House of Representatives passed HB 5537 on March 18 on a largely party-line vote, advancing legislation that would ban the growth, sale, import, and distribution of kratom and its synthetic variants, including 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). House Democrats opposed the bill, with a caucus spokesperson calling an outright ban "not the solution" and pointing to existing regulatory legislation as a better path. The bill now moves to the Michigan Senate, where its fate is uncertain. If signed by Governor Whitmer, violations would carry misdemeanor penalties including fines up to $10,000 for repeat offenses, with heightened penalties for sales to minors.
In Kansas, the Senate voted 33-5 on March 5 to pass SB 497, which would classify kratom's active alkaloids alongside heroin as Schedule I controlled substances. After that bill initially stalled in the House, Kansas lawmakers made a last-minute push during the final days of the legislative session, folding the kratom ban into a new bill that passed the House 76-49 through a conference committee vote on March 27. The measure heads to Governor Kelly for consideration.
Connecticut's ban took effect March 25, after Governor Lamont signed HB 6855 last June designating kratom and its derivatives as Schedule I controlled substances.
In Idaho, the picture was more complicated. A Senate committee heard hours of split testimony on March 28 on the Idaho Kratom Consumer Protection and Safety Act, sponsored by Sen. Tammy Nichols, which would establish the state's first regulatory framework rather than an outright ban. The bill — which would limit 7-OH concentration to 2% of total alkaloid content, consistent with Utah's standard — faces competing legislation in the House that would ban kratom entirely. Medical professionals, law enforcement, business owners, and kratom users all testified, with divisions running through each group.
Tennessee's HB 1649, known as "Matthew's Law," passed the Judiciary Committee and continues advancing, while Illinois has active ban legislation (HB 4930) alongside competing KCPA bills. In Maryland, HB 1523 and its Senate companion SB 820 had a committee hearing on March 3, with the cross-filed bills potentially restricting kratom sales while a separate KCPA-style bill also remains active.
The Other Direction: Rhode Island Makes History
Against this backdrop of prohibition, Rhode Island moved in the opposite direction. Effective April 1, 2026, Rhode Island became the first state in U.S. history to reverse a kratom ban, with a new regulatory framework that includes a licensing system for retailers, a 21-plus age requirement, mandatory product testing, and a ban on synthetic 7-OH. The state had banned kratom since 2017. The American Kratom Association called the reversal "a monumental milestone for the entire kratom community."
Utah also replaced its existing Kratom Regulation Act with a stricter regulatory framework this session, tightening rather than eliminating consumer protection standards.
The Regulatory vs. Ban Divide
The Rockefeller Institute of Government noted this week that the competing legislative trends reflect a broader national debate: more than a dozen states are pursuing consumer protection frameworks while others move toward prohibition — often in the same session. States with active KCPA legislation or regulatory bills this session include Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wyoming, while Nebraska passed KCPA legislation.
At the federal level, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have both taken positions that are more targeted than the state ban movement — recommending scheduling only chemically synthesized 7-OH and products where 7-OH exceeds 2% of total alkaloid content, a threshold designed to capture concentrated extracts while preserving access to natural kratom leaf. That federal framework, if implemented, would likely influence how state legislatures approach the issue in future sessions.
Florida's emergency scheduling of concentrated 7-OH — which took effect in August 2025 through an attorney general order rather than legislation — is set to expire June 30, 2026, after the Florida legislature ended its session in March without passing any bill to maintain it. That expiration could represent a significant policy reversal in one of the nation's largest states.
What to Watch
The most immediate pressure points are Michigan and Kansas, where ban bills are now in or headed to final consideration. Tennessee and Illinois remain active battlegrounds. And as more state legislative sessions conclude in the coming weeks, the overall shape of 2026's regulatory landscape will come into focus. The divergence between states embracing consumer protection frameworks and those moving toward outright bans shows no sign of narrowing.
