Kratom is a natural stimulant and opioid-like substance that comes out of Southeast Asia. It comes from an evergreen tree called Miragyna Speciosa, native to Southeast Asia. In the past couple of years, kratom products have become widely popular in Western countries, including the United States.
These products come in powder, pills, capsules, extracts, etc. Many Americans use kratom for a variety of reasons, including as a supplement to fight opioid addiction. However, since kratom is a fairly new substance in America, many states don’t have any regulations for it or regulate it without much research or thought.
As a result, kratom is legal in many states, banned in others, and unregulated in some. If you’re from Wisconsin and want to try kratom, you’re probably wondering whether it’s legal in your state. Here’s everything you need to know about kratom’s legality in Wisconsin.
- Kratom is officially illegal in Wisconsin
Even though you can find places that sell green Malay kratom legally in other states, Wisconsin has banned kratom entirely. The state legislators of Wisconsin were presented with a bill in 2013 that proposed adding new substances to the state’s controlled substances list. The goal of the bill was to reduce the number of “designer drugs” which emerged in the state.
The bill included two substances known to be present in kratom: 7-hydroxy mitragynine and mitragynine. The new classification of these two alkaloids resulted in an immediate ban on kratom in the state. The bill was passed in 2014, and even though there was immediate controversy, the bill remained. The state initially wanted to classify alkaloids found in kratom as synthetic opioids.
However, it was quickly proven that kratom alkaloids don’t belong in this category. They are derived naturally from the kratom tree and can’t be considered as opioids or synthetic. Still, the state classified these alkaloids as stimulants and banned them even though they weren’t regarded as synthetic opioids. - Wisconsin is one of the six US states where kratom is banned
Only six states in total have a ban on kratom and its related products. That includes Wisconsin, Vermont, Rhode Island, Indiana, Arkansas, and Alabama. Thirty-two of the US states don’t regulate or control kratom, while the rest regulate how kratom is manufactured, sold, possessed, and shipped.
Simply put, the decision to ban kratom completely seems to be political. Only a handful of states have banned the substance, and there seem to be no real grounds for this kind of action. In other words, the users and potential users in these states are out of luck and would have to look for alternative supplements or solutions for using kratom safely.
The global situation is no different from many large Western countries like France, Spain, Austria, Sweden, and Greece. Many other countries don’t regulate kratom. In other words, if you want to use kratom safely, you should consider moving to another state or going on a trip. - Users may suffer heavy legal consequences
At the moment, Wisconsin classifies kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning that anyone who tries to carry, deliver, distribute, or manufacture kratom and gets caught will be charged with a Class H felony. At the same time, if you possess or use kratom and get caught, you will be charged with a misdemeanor.
Interstate commerce is banned, meaning that you can’t travel with kratom through Wisconsin. If you have permanent residence in a state where kratom is legal, you still can’t go through Wisconsin with kratom in your possession. In other words, nobody can carry kratom in Wisconsin.
Even if you have a medical prescription for kratom from another state and can carry it legally, Wisconsin will not recognize this document and treat the whole thing as a misdemeanor or worse. - There are signs of change
Even though kratom was expressly banned in Wisconsin, there was severe backlash and controversy surrounding the bill. After that, there were many attempts to change the laws and regulations surrounding kratom, and the government is getting pressured to make changes. The latest significant attempt came in 2022 when legislators pushed for changes.
A state Assembly Committee was formed and voted heavily to legalize the substance (9 to 2). However, the bill wasn’t passed to the legislature. Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Controlled Substances Board created and passed a motion that recommended to the state government that kratom should remain classified as a scheduled substance.
Conclusion
Kratom is illegal and banned in all forms and shapes in the state of Wisconsin. Avoid using it or carrying it any way across the state. If you want to try kratom and use it, it’s best to travel to a US state where kratom is allowed.Even though there are signs of change and pressure on the local government to change its position on kratom, the fact is that the law doesn’t tolerate kratom. Luckily, there are many states in the US where kratom is entirely legal.
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