After hearing the stories of families in the Capital Region who have lost loved ones due to unregulated kratom use, Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh has announced the passage of legislation aimed at regulating kratom products in New York state.
Kratom is derived from a plant native to Southeast Asia. While its chemical compounds are known to affect the body, much remains unknown about its long-term health and safety impacts. Kratom products are often marketed as natural supplements and sold in local gas stations or smoke shops without regulation.
A local parent’s advocacy, following the loss of her son, motivated Walsh to collaborate with Assemblymember Phil Steck on drafting and passing a bipartisan bill (A.5852). This bill requires manufacturers or distributors of kratom within the state to include a warning label and prohibits labeling kratom products as all-natural. Additionally, Walsh co-sponsored two other bipartisan pieces of legislation aiming to regulate kratom, though their fate in this legislative session is uncertain.
Walsh stated: “We regulate alcohol, cannabis, tobacco and other substances because we recognize the risks they pose. Kratom should be no different. I understand that some individuals turn to kratom to manage pain or cope with opioid withdrawal. I respect that struggle. But without regulation, there is no way to know what’s actually in these products, how strong they are or the long-term side effects.”
She added: “If we know a product poses a risk, it’s our obligation to protect people from misinformation and unregulated dangers. We owe it to the families already devastated by loss. We owe it to the young people who think kratom is just another herbal remedy. And we owe it to public health to act before another tragedy occurs.”
Walsh expressed satisfaction with seeing this legislation pass both legislative houses and urged the Governor’s approval: “I’m extremely happy to see this common sense piece of legislation pass the Assembly and the Senate, and I urge the Governor to sign it into law.”
