What’s the State of Kratom in Louisiana?

It seems like there’s always breaking news involving kratom in Louisiana. In 2014, state legislators considered adding kratom and kratom alkaloids to the state’s controlled substances list. In 2015, the ban nearly became a reality (the bill passed, but kratom’s alkaloids were ultimately removed from the list of controlled substances). In 2018, legislators tasked the Louisiana Department of Health with studying kratom to determine if it should be made illegal. A similar bill passed in 2019. Then, in 2020, legislators considered a bill that would regulate kratom in the state (the Kratom Consumer Protection Act). Ultimately, that was unsuccessful as well.

And now, kratom is in the news once again. Ascension Parish (the 13th largest parish in the state by population), has become the first parish in the state to officially implement a kratom ban. The law was passed in August 2022, and although it represents a major setback for supporters of kratom in Louisiana, it’s not all bad news.

Understanding the Louisiana Kratom Ban

If you’re understandably concerned about the recent kratom ban, there are a few things we need to clear up:

• The ban only applies to Ascension Parish. It is not a complete Louisiana kratom ban. 
• The ban only applies to kratom sales. In other words, retail shops are forbidden from selling kratom, but there is currently no law against possessing kratom. So if you’re caught with it, you’re not going to get in any trouble. 
• Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment suggested that the ban may be lifted if the state or federal government should take steps to regulate kratom. So if the Kratom Consumer Protection Act is ever made law in Louisiana, it could mean the end of the Ascension ban. The main goal is keeping unsafe kratom off the shelves. 
• Businesses that sell kratom in Ascension Parish may face a fine of $500 to $1,500 and risk having their retail license revoked. The seller may also face up to 6 months in prison.

The council is currently pursuing a resolution that would once again urge the legislative delegation to consider kratom regulation. While such efforts have been unsuccessful in the past, there’s still a possibility that the Kratom Consumer Protection Act could come to Louisiana.

This would ensure that all kratom sold in the state is natural, free of contaminants (like the kratom salmonella outbreak that sickened three Louisianans in 2018), free of synthetic ingredients, and held to high quality standards. If you’d like to see this type of legislation passed in Louisiana, the best thing to do is to support the work of the American Kratom Association, an advocacy organization that pushes for safe kratom regulation nationwide. You should also write to legislators in Louisiana to show your support.

How to Purchase Safe Kratom in Louisiana

The problem with kratom in Louisiana is a lack of regulation. If you’re buying your kratom from a gas station, you don’t know the safety or the quality. That’s why it’s so important to do your homework and make sure you’re getting a premium product.

At The Kratom Company, for instance, we offer premium-quality, all-natural kratom capsules and kratom powders that are sourced from sustainable Indonesian farms. We’re so confident in our products that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. So if you’re buying kratom products in Louisiana or anywhere else in the country, don’t settle for second best. Buy kratom online from The Kratom Company and enjoy high-quality products.