Unpacking the Likely Ohio 7OH Ban

Key Takeaways:

• Gov. DeWine called for a kratom ban in Ohio, while federal regulators are focused only on the 7OH compound.
• Natural kratom contains trace 7OH (0.0001%), but modified synthetic products contain 13% or higher.
• Industry groups urge targeted 7OH regulation while protecting natural leaf access.

Look, the responsible kratom community supports common-sense legislation. But Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is trying to throw the baby out with the bathwater. In late August 2025, he called on the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to classify all natural and synthetic kratom as illegal. This goes beyond an Ohio 7OH ban and, if approved, the action would make Ohio the first state to implement such a comprehensive ban.

All of this comes on the coattails of Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., the US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the FDA calling for a rescheduling of 7OH products in July. The key difference between Gov. DeWine and the FDA request is that Kennedy made it a point to separate 7OH from the natural kratom leaf. 

The distinction is crucial. Chemically modified 7OH products aren’t the same as the natural kratom leaf. Natural leaf kratom contains only trace amounts of the compound, whereas modified products contain much higher concentrations (13% and higher). These manipulated products are driving concerns about safety and dependency, and they require proper regulatory oversight.

Defining Natural Kratom and Modified 7OH

The suggestion for a kratom and 7OH ban in Ohio points to a disconnect in understanding. Kratom comes from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Qualified producers of natural kratom take the tree leaves, process them, and turn them into powders, capsules and extracts.

These brands often position kratom leaf products as mood boosters, substances to ease discomfort or to support individuals seeking pain management. The research, however, is still young, so it’s important to take these reports with a grain of salt. 

Governor DeWine, like many, is misinterpreting the data to push for a kratom ban in Ohio when fair regulation, such as that supported by The Kratom Company and the American Kratom Association (AKA), is likely all that’s warranted.

What’s Fueling the Ohio 7OH Ban?

The minimal processing involved in natural kratom products creates traces of the chemical or alkaloid known as 7OH (0.0001%). The extraction, manipulation, and amplification of the chemical is where concerns lie.

Experts suggest that 7OH, when isolated and extrapolated, can act like an opioid, with experts describing it as more potent than morphine. These modified or synthetic products (the real target of most bans) up the percentage of 7OH to 13% or higher, sometimes exceeding 100 milligrams in a single package.

The Focus of Federal Action

Gov. DeWine seems to base his stance on the FDA’s recent steps to restrict 7OH products which it states are addictive, with some users reporting psychosis, seizures, and hallucinations. The governor’s position, if only pushing for a 7OH ban in Ohio, would align with the FDA, but he takes it further, suggesting a kratom ban as well. A stance even the FDA admittedly stepped away from when it made a distinction between 7OH and the kratom plant.

The FDA, unlike Gov. DeWine, made it a point to explain that it is not focused on natural kratom leaf products. 7OH, specifically the chemically modified and highly synthesized extract, is the target of the FDA’s referral to the DEA for reclassification. The HHS supports this target. A complete natural kratom ban in Ohio is an overreaction not supported by the federal government or existing evidence.

The Regulatory Debate in Ohio 

The initial call for a kratom and 7OH ban in Ohio, made by Gov. DeWine, argued that kratom products are “an imminent public health risk.” His claim was likely fueled by data from the Ohio Department of Health, which attributed more than 200 unintentional overdose deaths between 2019 and 2024 to 7OH products. 

Additionally, the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department issued a public health notice warning about the substance’s possible link to liver damage, seizures, and overdose-related deaths.

Some public health officials have described 7OH’s side effects as similar to opioids, including:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Liver toxicity
• Dependency

These are alarming, but specifically linked to modified 7OH products. And it’s this point that was likely brought to Gov. DeWine’s attention during a conversation with HHS Secretary Kennedy, who reportedly supports the use of natural forms of kratom. Following the governor’s discussion, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy abruptly cancelled its meeting to discuss the ban on 7OH and kratom.

The timing is suspicious, but it’s not a concrete correlation. Whether the governor is taking a step back to reassess his position (that’s the hope) or the board needs more time to assess the implications of such a widespread action (also beneficial) isn’t yet clear. What is clear is that a sweeping kratom ban in Ohio is too broad.  

Industry and Advocacy Support Separation

The Kratom Company and the AKA agree with the need to regulate or schedule 7OH. Each strongly encourages state action against modified 7OH products, with the AKA stating that adulterated products pose an “imminent threat to the public because of their addiction liability.”

That said, an Ohio ban on 7OH isn’t the same as a ban on kratom. Banning the natural kratom products affects the rights of over 300,000 Ohio consumers. Such a widespread prohibition would mean that safely formulated, properly labeled, and age-restricted kratom products would be illegal. 

Aligning Federal and State Efforts

It’s clear Gov. DeWine acted with concern and compassion for Ohio and its citizens. But a ban on 7OH and natural kratom isn’t the answer. It depends on a faulty narrative, one that doesn’t distinguish one product from the other, even when the FDA has made the distinction clear.

For those currently using 7OH, know that a federal ban is likely, as the FDA has recommended classifying the compound as an illegal drug. The AKA strongly advocates for the use of kratom over 7OH. The Kratom Company encourages you to shop natural kratom that’s third-party lab-tested to guarantee quality.