Ohio Governor to Take Action on Kratum

After a pause to review potential federal action, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that’s he’s taking action on the drug kratom (rhymes with “atom”) through emergency rule. He’s requesting the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to immediately designate all synthetic kratom (rhymes with “atom”) compounds and other compounds derived from it as illegal drugs. DeWine is also asking the Board of Pharmacy to pursue rules through the regular rulemaking process for scheduling natural kratom (rhymes with “atom”). Kratom is a plant native to southeast Asia that’s not approved by the FDA for consumption or medical use. It’s often marketed for its supposed ability to treat a variety of disorders but can cause several negative side effects