The Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) today applauded Gov. Kathy Hochul and members of the New York State Legislature for embracing well-thought-out kratom legislation aimed at responsibly regulating adult New Yorkers’ consumption of kratom leaf, protecting consumers by establishing commonsense industry guardrails, and instituting strong labeling requirements for kratom products. These bills, signed into law pursuant to negotiated chapter amendments, preserve adult access to natural kratom leaf.
Specifically, the age gate measure sponsored by state Sen. Patricia Fahy and Assemblymember John McDonald (Senate Bill S4552-A/Assembly Bill A2340-A) and the labeling measure sponsored by state Sen. James Skoufis and Assemblymember Phil Steck (Senate Bill S8285/Assembly Bill A5852-A) prevent youth access to kratom products and establish labeling requirements that ensure New York consumers are equipped with the information they need to make informed consumption choices.
“The Global Kratom Coalition has always championed prudent regulation of natural kratom leaf products, grounded in science, that seeks to protect consumers, ensure only adults have access, and enact regulations that hold manufacturers and retailers to account,” said Matthew Lowe, GKC’s executive director. “These bills thoughtfully advance the need for consumer protections while preserving adult access to natural kratom leaf.”
The New York measures come as other states take similar actions to preserve lawful, responsible access to natural kratom leaf. Other states have appropriately cracked down on concentrated synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) opioid products — a lab-made derivative that can be up to 13 times more potent than morphine and carries risks of dependence, respiratory depression, and overdose.
New York has the opportunity to further address these derivative products in the 2026 session and follow the lead of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which recommended in July that concentrated synthetic 7-OH be classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) still has not adopted the FDA’s scheduling recommendation. Federal health officials have made it clear that their focus is not on natural kratom leaf, which has been consumed for centuries as a supplement.
To learn more about the Global Kratom Coalition and its mission, navigate to globalkratomcoalition.org/about-us.
About Global Kratom Coalition
The Global Kratom Coalition is an alliance of natural kratom consumers, experts, and industry leaders dedicated to protecting access to natural leaf kratom while advancing scientific research, driving consumer education, and developing robust regulations to protect consumers. For more information, visit globalkratomcoalition.org.
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