Kansas Senate Bill 497 Would Place Kratom and 7-OH on Schedule I Alongside Cocaine and Methamphetamine

Why it matters

If passed, Kansas Senate Bill 497 would make possessing or distributing kratom a serious criminal offense — placing it in the same legal category as cocaine and methamphetamine — and would also capture 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products currently sold openly in gas stations and smoke shops.

The big picture

Kansas joins a growing wave of states debating how to regulate kratom and its semi-synthetic derivatives. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a public warning about 7-OH risks in September 2025. Nationally, about 24 states and D.C. now have some form of kratom regulation, with the debate intensifying around 7-OH, which is far more potent than traditional kratom.

Key findings

• SB 497 would add both kratom (mitragynine) and 7-hydroxymitragynine to Schedule I of Kansas's Uniform Controlled Substances Act
• Schedule I classification means no accepted medical use and high abuse potential — the same category as heroin and methamphetamine
• The bill targets 7-OH products commonly sold in smoke shops and convenience stores, which vary widely in potency and carry no standardized dosing
• KDHE warned in September 2025 that 7-OH combined with other substances significantly raises overdose risk
• The bill passed through committee referral and was undergoing hearings as of February 2026

What they say

According to the KWCH report, Kansas doctors advise that "drugs like kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine have high potential for danger and don't have an acceptable medical use."

Bottom line

Kansas is considering placing kratom and the far more potent 7-OH on Schedule I — a move that would make even possession a criminal offense and reflects growing legislative alarm over gas-station opioid-like products.