COLUMBUS, OH – On Thursday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced he is formally requesting the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to use an emergency rule to outlaw kratom alkaloids including 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), while allowing a formal scheduling process for leaf-based kratom products.
YAËL OSSOWSKI, Deputy Director at the Consumer Choice Center, responded:
“Gov. DeWine has chosen to unilaterally ban 7-OH based not on science and evidence, but on selective outrage and powerful lobbying from the kratom industry. Smart regulatory policy on kratom and its alkaloids would help prevent overdoses, preserve legitimate access for pain and withdrawal management, and ensure youth access is restricted. Regulation over prohibition is preferred,” said Ossowski.
According to the CDC, total drug overdose deaths in Ohio have fallen nearly 33% in the last year, reducing from 4,200 overdose deaths in 2024 to just 2,830 so far in 2025. A significant portion of overdoses have been tied to illicit substances, particularly opioids. These figures coincide with the growing market of kratom and kratom alkaloids like 7-OH over the past two years as some consumers have adopted them as opioid alternatives.
While declining overdoses is positive, more needs to be done, as Ossowski stated in his September op-ed published in the Akron Beacon Journal.
“The correct answer is tough and enforceable regulations to keep consumers safe, age restrictions to keep it away from children and a governance framework that avoids needlessly criminalizing Americans and creating incentives for illicit trade while giving researchers the path to better understanding it,” concluded Ossowski.
In November, the Consumer Choice Center led a coalition of national consumer advocacy groups, free market organizations, drug policy reformists, and public policy advocates to express strong opposition to federal and state efforts to prohibit and practically outlaw kratom derivative products like 7-OH.
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The Consumer Choice Center is an independent, nonpartisan consumer advocacy group championing the benefits of freedom of choice, innovation, and abundance in everyday life for consumers in over 100 countries. We closely monitor regulatory trends in Washington, Brussels, Ottawa, Brasilia, London, and Geneva.
Find out more at consumerchoicecenter.org
