Kansas Kratom Industry Donated to Top GOP Officials Who Then Supported Kratom Ban, Records Show

Why it matters

Campaign finance records revealing that kratom industry donors contributed to politicians who subsequently voted for a kratom ban raise questions about industry influence on drug policy—while also suggesting that political calculations, not just science, are driving the wave of state-level kratom legislation.

The big picture

Kansas became one of the latest states to ban both 7-OH and mitragynine (traditional kratom alkaloid) when Governor Laura Kelly signed the legislation earlier in 2026. The Kansas City Star investigation found that key legislative leaders received industry donations just weeks before the session that advanced the ban—donations the companies describe as standard, while lawmakers say they were unaware of the donor connections.

Key findings

• Shaman Botanicals, a subsidiary of CBD American Shaman that claims to have developed 7-OH, donated $8,000 to Senate President Ty Masterson's gubernatorial campaign on Dec. 31, 2025, weeks before the ban vote
• A kratom wholesaler's principals contributed $8,000 in in-kind contributions to GOP gubernatorial candidate Philip Sarnecki
• Both recipients publicly supported the kratom ban after receiving the donations
• Kansas classified both 7-OH and traditional mitragynine as Schedule I substances, one of the most comprehensive bans in the country
• HHS Secretary RFK Jr. recommended federally scheduling 7-OH last July; DEA review is ongoing

What they say

"Unfortunately, what's right for the people is not what's done," said Vince Sanders, president of Shaman Botanicals. "It's what's right for the politician at the given moment."

Bottom line

A Kansas City Star investigation found kratom industry companies donated to top GOP officials before the state's comprehensive kratom ban—revealing the messy politics behind the wave of state-level kratom legislation sweeping the U.S.