Ohio Synthetic Kratom Ban Now Permanent; Board of Pharmacy May Extend Rules to Natural Leaf

Why it matters

Ohio's permanent ban on synthetic kratom is now the law of the land — and the state Board of Pharmacy is weighing whether to extend that prohibition to all forms of kratom, including natural leaf. The outcome could affect millions of Ohioans who currently use or sell the product.

The big picture

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order in December 2025 temporarily banning synthetic kratom; that ban has now been made permanent by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). Ohio is one of a growing number of states grappling with synthetic alkaloid concentrates sold at gas stations and vape shops. Regulators face a rapid-evolution problem: as one synthetic compound is banned, manufacturers introduce new analogs.

Key findings

• Ohio's permanent ban on synthetically modified kratom took effect May 14, 2026, replacing the temporary executive order set to expire in June
• The ban was finalized by JCARR following an April hearing — no kratom industry representatives defended synthetic products at the hearing
• The Ohio Board of Pharmacy is now considering extending the ban to cover natural kratom leaf as well
• Troy Mayor Robin Ota testified: 'We are seeing the damage every day. It's a destructive machine in our community'
• Kratom advocates argued prohibition drives demand to unregulated black markets: 'When you remove a lower risk product... the demand doesn't disappear. It relocates'

What they say

Rep. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) described the challenge lawmakers face: 'When it comes to these synthetic compounds, it's like we're playing whack-a-mole. We ban one and they create another.'

Bottom line

Ohio's synthetic kratom ban is now permanent, and regulators are already discussing whether natural kratom leaf should be next.