Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Ohio Senate General Government Committee hears proponent testimony for bill to regulate kratom sales
Summary
At a second hearing on SB299, patients, retailers and industry experts urged the Senate General Government Committee to regulate natural kratom leaf while banning or limiting synthetic derivatives, calling for age restrictions, testing, labeling and vendor accountability rather than an outright ban.
Supporters of Senate Bill 299 told the Senate General Government Committee that carefully framed regulation can protect consumers without cutting off adults who rely on natural kratom leaf for symptom relief.
Andrew Toups, a 52‑year‑old SSDI recipient who described a range of severe spinal and degenerative conditions, said he relied on natural kratom leaf to reduce pain and avoid high‑dose prescription opioids. “Don’t cut Ohioans off who have the kind of pain that I deal with,” Toups said, urging the committee to preserve legal access to natural kratom while targeting synthetic derivatives.
Manufacturing consultant Jessica Gerding urged a safety and standardization approach. She described using the new dietary ingredient (NDI) framework to verify identity, set contaminant limits, conduct toxicology studies and define intake parameters. Gerding…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
