Kratom measure deferred after split testimony on public‑health benefits and enforcement challenges

Representative Amity presented House Bill 778 on May 19, a proposal to prohibit synthetic and semi‑synthetic kratom products while permitting regulated natural kratom with safety limits and targeted penalties for unsafe products.

Supporters included veterans and addiction‑recovery advocates who testified that natural kratom had helped some people reduce dependence on opioids or manage chronic pain. John Shinholzer of American Veterans for Kratom Safe described federal and FDA work that distinguishes synthetic, highly concentrated derivatives from traditional leaf products and urged the committee to separate dangerous synthetics from natural products.

Opposition included the Louisiana District Attorneys Association and prosecutors who warned about enforcement and testing limits. Zach Daniels and other prosecution representatives told the committee that state crime labs may not be equipped to distinguish natural leaf from synthetic derivatives reliably, and that re‑legalizing some kratom could create significant testing and prosecution challenges without new lab capacity.

Representative Fontenot moved to involuntarily defer the bill; the motion carried and the bill was involuntarily deferred for the session. Proponents said new federal data and FDA human-safety research warrant reconsideration; opponents cited public-safety and laboratory-capacity risks.