In August, Governor DeWine asked the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to classify all kratom compounds — including 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) — as Schedule I controlled substances. This would be an extreme ban, shutting down research, criminalizing responsible use, and pushing people to the black market.
The science is clear: 7-OH is a naturally occurring metabolite of kratom, not a synthetic drug. After hundreds of millions of uses, there are zero confirmed deaths from 7-OH alone. Peer-reviewed studies show no evidence of widespread harm and no unreasonable risk of overdose.
Ohio lawmakers must reject prohibition and instead adopt science-based regulation that protects both consumer safety and access.