Kratom taxes and regulations weighed in WA Legislature
Washington lawmakers are considering three bills to strengthen regulation of kratom, a psychoactive supplement sold at convenience stores and smoke shops.
One bill would impose a steep tax on the product. Another would ban the sale of a synthetic substance sometimes found in kratom. The third proposes a smaller tax combined with a version of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, a regulatory framework passed in other states. All three measures would set new kratom labeling requirements.
Kratom comes from a tropical tree in Southeast Asia of the same name. Touted to treat pain, depression and anxiety, its use in the U.S. is on the rise, but many fear it’s a public health hazard.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, in low doses, kratom triggers stimulant effects, but in higher doses, it can be a sedative. Kratom contains a naturally occurring substance called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, that has been linked to opioid-like effects.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/01/31/kratom-taxes-and-regulations-weighed-in-wa/