Michigan Commentary: Governor Whitmer and Legislature Must Act on Synthetic Kratom Before More Children Are Harmed

Why it matters

A prominent Michigan public health voice is calling on Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the state legislature to pass HB 5537, warning that inaction on synthetic kratom leaves Michigan children exposed to a highly addictive substance as easily available as candy.

The big picture

Michigan HB 5537 — which would ban kratom statewide — passed the House with bipartisan support but has been sent to the Senate Government Operations Committee, described by Lansing insiders as a place where bills go to die. Industry lobbying from kratom manufacturers and gas station and party store owners has effectively stalled the measure. As other states ban or restrict kratom, Michigan's inaction is increasingly notable. Sterling Heights became the first Michigan city to enact a complete local ban in May 2026.

Key findings

• Michigan HB 5537 passed the House with bipartisan support but has not been taken up by the Senate Government Operations Committee.
• The bill faces significant pushback from lobbyists representing kratom manufacturers and convenience store owners.
• Sterling Heights became the first Michigan city to pass a complete local ban on kratom sales and distribution in May 2026.
• Over 30 states now restrict concentrated synthetic kratom derivatives; more than 15 have enacted laws specifically banning sales to minors.
• The FDA and pediatric health organizations have issued warnings about kratom's unique risks to children and teenagers due to still-developing central nervous systems.
• Kratom is sold in a wide variety of forms — tonics, tablets, powders, gummies, and even chocolate bars — at gas stations and convenience stores throughout Michigan.

What they say

"The governor, House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader: Our children and families need more than political posturing or infighting. They need you to help stop making this poison as easy to purchase as a candy bar." — Tom Watkins, former Michigan State Superintendent of Schools

Bottom line

Michigan's stalled kratom legislation illustrates how industry lobbying can delay public health protections for children even as medical evidence of harm — and the body count — mounts.