Michigan House Passes Total Kratom Ban in 56-48 Vote Without Committee Hearings

Why it matters

Michigan would become one of the few states to completely prohibit both natural kratom and synthetic 7-OH products, affecting thousands of residents who use kratom for pain, anxiety, or opioid withdrawal. The bill now moves to the Democrat-controlled Senate, where its fate is uncertain.

The big picture

As of January 2026, 30 states and D.C. regulate kratom in some form, while six states have banned it outright. A wave of state-level bans is accelerating in 2026, with Iowa, Michigan, and Kansas all moving toward prohibition in the same week. Advocates and critics are split: the American Kratom Association supports banning 7-OH but opposes banning natural kratom leaf products.

Key findings

• The Michigan House voted 56-48, with all Democrats and two Republicans opposed, to ban all growth, synthesis, and sale of both kratom and 7-OH
• The bill was passed without committee hearings, a move Democrats called rushed and inadequate
• Penalties include a misdemeanor charge of up to 90 days in jail or a $5,000 fine, with harsher penalties for repeat offenses and sales to minors under 18
• A mother who lost her 27-year-old son to a kratom-related death in 2022 watched the vote from the House floor
• The bill includes an exemption only if kratom products are first approved by the FDA

What they say

"These products are being marketed towards our kids, and many parents aren't even aware that it's happening. Our children are being poisoned by products that they can easily purchase at gas stations," said Rep. Cam Cavitt, the Republican sponsor of the bill.

Bottom line

Michigan's Republican-controlled House passed a total kratom ban in a narrow 56-48 vote — without committee hearings — sending the bill to a Democrat-led Senate where regulation, not prohibition, may prevail.