Connecticut Becomes Seventh State to Designate Kratom and 7-OH as Schedule I Controlled Substances

Why it matters

Connecticut Schedule I designation for kratom and 7-OH makes possession and sale illegal statewide, immediately affecting thousands of retailers and users and adding a major northeastern state to the growing ban movement.

The big picture

As of February 2026, at least seven states have now outright banned kratom and its derivatives. The pace of state-level action has accelerated sharply since the FDA recommended Schedule I status for 7-OH in mid-2025, even as federal DEA scheduling remains incomplete. Critics argue blanket bans lump natural leaf kratom in with far more potent synthetic 7-OH products without distinguishing between them.

Key findings

• Connecticut Legislative Regulation Review Committee voted unanimously to approve the Schedule I classification on February 24, 2026
• Both mitragyna speciosa (kratom) and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) are now Schedule I controlled substances in the state
• Six other substances were simultaneously scheduled, including bromazolam, flubromazolam, nitazenes, tianeptine, and phenibut
• Businesses were given until March 25, 2026 to destroy or return kratom inventory to wholesalers
• The law preserves the right to reschedule kratom in the future if research establishes a legitimate medical use
• Connecticut joins Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin as states with outright kratom prohibitions

What they say

"These substances pose a significant public health risk, particularly to children, as they have been widely available for purchase by people of all ages, with no regulation, testing, or other public health protections," said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli.

Bottom line

Connecticut is now the seventh state to fully prohibit kratom, adding a major northeastern state to the ban list even as federal DEA scheduling remains stalled.