CO Gov. Jared Polis Signs New Kratom Regulations After Behind-The-Scenes Fight On Policy
The Daniel Bregger Act seeks to limit potency and underage access
Gov. Jared Polis signed into law new regulations for the herbal remedy kratom on Thursday, giving resolution to a public lobbying campaign that included the family of someone who died from kratom-related complications and an herbal supplement company that offered free product to people who called their lawmakers to urge a veto.
Senate Bill 72 bars kratom from being sold as candy or in a way that appeals to children, increases labeling requirements and limits the concentration of kratom’s more potent active compound, 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly marketed as 7-OH. It also bans the manufacture and distribution of synthetic and semi-synthetic kratom.
Kratom is a traditional herbal remedy from Southeast Asia that proponents say has potential for a variety of uses, including as a stimulant or pain reliever, or as treatment for depression, anxiety and opioid withdrawal.
The Harvard Medical School, however, warns of “considerable uncertainty of (kratom’s) health risks,” and that a lack of independent research into the plant means there’s not enough information for any definitive conclusions.
In a signing statement, Polis wrote that he supports people making their own choices — but emphasized the need for people to be able to make informed choices with “common sense labeling requirements.”
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