Iowa Lawmakers Advance Kratom Ban in Both House and Senate Committees After Poison Control Calls Nearly Double

Why it matters

Iowa's dual-chamber legislative momentum makes a statewide kratom ban increasingly likely, which would affect thousands of users who currently purchase the supplement freely at gas stations, tobacco stores, and online.

The big picture

Seven states have already banned kratom, and Iowa's legislative push is part of a nationwide wave of state-level proposals responding to growing poison control calls. Iowa's neighboring state Wisconsin is already among those that have banned kratom, adding geographic pressure to the debate.

Key findings

• Iowa House Public Safety Committee voted 18-5 in January to ban both natural and synthetic kratom
• Iowa Senate Judiciary Committee followed with its own vote in favor of the ban in early February
• Iowa Poison Control Center calls related to kratom jumped from 24 in 2023-2024 to 53 in 2025
• Kratom is currently unregulated in Iowa and sold freely at gas stations, tobacco stores, and online
• Kratom advocates are urging age restrictions, clearer labeling, and product testing as alternatives to an outright ban

What they say

"I think from a clinical standpoint, we see it as an emerging issue as far as the number of cases that we see over time. Just because something is natural or plant-based, doesn't mean it's therefore safer or better." — Dr. Nick Kluesner, emergency physician, UnityPoint Health

Bottom line

With both Iowa legislative chambers' committees voting to advance a kratom ban, the proposal is on track for a full floor vote that could make Iowa the eighth state to prohibit the supplement entirely.