Washington State Proposes 95% Tax on Kratom and Under-21 Sales Ban

Why it matters

If passed, Washington's 95% excise tax would nearly double the retail price of kratom products and set a precedent for how states can use taxation — rather than outright bans — to regulate access to the substance. The bill also includes provisions that could serve as a model for nationwide regulation.

The big picture

States are increasingly turning to regulation rather than prohibition as their primary tool for managing kratom. Washington's approach mirrors earlier alcohol and cannabis regulatory frameworks: licensing distributors, requiring testing and labeling, banning sales to minors, and levying a high excise tax. At the same time, the city of Spokane had been considering an outright ban but paused action pending the statewide legislative process.

Key findings

• Senate Bill 6287 would impose a 95% tax on kratom paid by distributors when products enter Washington state for sale
• Proceeds from the tax would fund programs preventing youth access to harmful substances
• The bill would require kratom distributor and retailer licenses, with criminal background checks for applicants
• Operating without a kratom license would be classified as a felony offense
• Kratom products would require detailed labeling listing all ingredients
• A companion bill would ban sale of kratom to anyone under 21
• Local municipalities would retain authority to enact complete bans or stricter regulations
• The Spokane City Council deferred action on a proposed city ban, citing the statewide legislative effort

What they say

Bill sponsor Sen. Jesse Salomon stated: "We have people exhibiting opiate-like addiction not from fentanyl or heroin but from things that they can buy at the gas station and are completely unregulated."

Bottom line

Washington's proposed 95% kratom tax — the highest of any state proposal in 2026 — represents a model that uses taxation as a regulatory tool rather than an outright ban, with the tax burden falling on distributors.