URGENT ALERT: Shipping & Sales of Kratom Banned in Kansas and Tennessee Effective July 1

As of July 1, kratom becomes a Schedule I controlled substance in Kansas and Tennessee, making its sale, purchase, and possession illegal. Merchants processing orders for Kansas or Tennessee customers after July 1 risk immediate chargebacks, account termination, and potential legal action due to facilitating illegal transactions. All shipments of kratom into Kansas and Tennessee must cease by June 30. Any products in transit or delivered after July 1 will be considered illegal and subject to seizure and criminal penalties for recipients.

Beginning July 1, laws designating kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance will take effect in both Kansas and Tennessee.

In Kansas, legislators added a last-minute kratom ban into HB2365, which was later reinforced by SB430, making all kratom illegal. Governor Laura Kelly signed this bill on April 27. After July 1, anyone caught in possession of any amount of kratom in Kansas will be charged with a felony. Johnson County, KS Sheriff Byron Roberson has issued a public warning for residents to dispose of kratom products by June 30.

A similar law in Tennessee, titled “Matthew Davenport’s Law” (HB1649), also classifies kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance. Governor Bill Lee signed this bill into law on May 7. In Tennessee, a person with no prior convictions caught with kratom will be charged with a Class A misdemeanor.

Merchants should be aware that possession of kratom purchased legally prior to July 1, or from states where it remains legal, will still be against the law in Kansas and Tennessee.

Source: Kratom Science via Sentinel Newsroom