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Ohio House Agriculture Committee hears competing calls to regulate or ban kratom alkaloid in HB 587
Summary
At hearings on House Bill 587, grieving family members and public‑health advocates urged a ban or stricter controls on kratom products after fatal cases were described, while researchers, industry representatives and consumer groups called for tightly regulated access, testing and age limits rather than prohibition.
Members of the Ohio House Agriculture Committee spent the bulk of a day hearing sharply divergent testimony on House Bill 587, a proposal that would restrict certain kratom alkaloids including 7‑hydroxymitragynine (7‑OH).
"My son, Austin, died on 12/06/2023. He was 25 years old," said Dan Gibbs, who testified he found the Montgomery County coroner’s report attributing the cause of death to mitragynine and urged lawmakers not to move policy before the Board of Pharmacy completes scientific review. Gibbs displayed product packaging and said the labeling and distribution model normalize ingestion while disclaiming safety.
Grieving parents also spoke in opposition to keeping the…
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