Enhance Control over Kratom in New York City

In recent developments, several states are taking steps to regulate the sale of kratom, a plant-based substance that has been linked to serious health risks.

The latest state to join this movement is Louisiana, which has become the seventh state to ban kratom. Senate Bill S4555A, which cleared both chambers of the Louisiana State Legislature with bipartisan support, is awaiting Governor John Bel Edwards' signature. If signed into law, the bill will make it illegal to sell or possess kratom products.

New York is also considering similar regulations. Senate Bill S4552A, which has already passed both chambers of the New York State Legislature, aims to ban the sale of kratom products to individuals under 21 and impose a fine of up to $500 for violators. The bill also seeks to set legal limits for 7-hydroxymitragynine concentrations, following the lead of states like Arizona, Texas, and Utah, which prohibit the sale of kratom products with 7-hydroxymitragynine concentrations greater than 2 percent of the total alkaloid composition.

The focus on 7-hydroxymitragynine is not without reason. Researchers from the University of Sydney, including Dr. Christopher R. McCurdy and colleagues, have studied the effects of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine on rat respiration and found that 7-hydroxymitragynine caused significant respiratory depression. A study by researchers from Texas Tech and the University of Florida found that 7-hydroxymitragynine induced significant respiratory depression in rats, with effects comparable to morphine.

These findings have raised concerns about the safety of kratom, particularly as some synthetically enhanced kratom products contain up to 98 percent 7-hydroxymitragynine. The Food and Drug Administration and safety advocates have also focused on the safety risks of kratom, particularly those associated with the alkaloid 7-hydroxymitragynine.

Ethan Gilden, a political science and philosophy student at Colgate University and a former Collegiate Associate at the Manhattan Institute, believes that Oklahoma's decision to set its legal limit at 1 percent was a good one. Gilden argues that such regulations are necessary to protect public health and prevent the sale of potentially dangerous kratom products.

As the debate over kratom regulation continues, it is clear that policymakers are taking the health risks associated with this substance seriously. They are requiring vendors to post warnings about safety risks, including the risk of addiction, along with information about their products' alkaloid composition and recommended dosing.

The increasing number of kratom-related tragedies in New York has also contributed to the push for stricter regulations. With Governor Kathy Hochul expected to sign the bill into law, it seems that New York is poised to join the growing list of states taking action to protect their citizens from the potential dangers of kratom.