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View PostPeople in Arkansas love their beautiful state, with its world-famous barbecue, thriving cities, and natural beauty like Crater of Diamonds State Park and Hot Springs National Park. Unfortunately, even though Arkansas residents have access to a lot of perks of living in the state, they don’t have access to kratom.
Kratom, which is derived from the Mitragyna speciosa tree, is currently prohibited under Arkansas law. To understand the rules and regulations than govern kratom in Arkansas, Golden Monk has prepared this useful guide.
No. It is currently illegal to purchase, sell, or possess any quantity of kratom in the state of Arkansas. The herb and its alkaloids—mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH)—have been banned by state legislators. The punishment for kratom possession or sale can be quite swift.
Under current legislation, even a small amount of kratom is enough to catch a felony rap. Possession of as little as two grams of kratom powder qualifies as a class D felony, which can result in up to six years in prison and a fine of no more than $10,000.
Arkansas residents weren’t always forbidden from selling or using kratom. Before 2015, kratom was available to anyone in Arkansas. However, it was a newer product in the United States at that time, and many people had not yet heard of or experienced kratom.
In November 2015, the Arkansas Board of Health added mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine and a few other kratom alkaloids to the state’s official list of Schedule 1 controlled substances. By default, this banned kratom from being able to be sold or possessed within the state.
All of this happened at the same time that the DEA was considering a nationwide ban on kratom. However, the DEA changed course in 2016 and did not schedule kratom with other Schedule I substances.
There have not been any successful legislative attempts to overturn Arkansas’ ban on kratom. However, a proposal introduced to the Arkansas General Assembly would allow for legislators to investigate the possibility of drafting a Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) for the state.
An Arkansas KCPA would likely follow the same model as other states. In addition to making kratom legal, the KCPA would likely:
The AKA (American Kratom Association), a nonprofit advocacy organization, continues to work tirelessly to persuade lawmakers of kratom’s purported advantages. Representatives for the AKA regularly attempt to meet with state representative nationwide in an effort to introduce the science behind this ancient herb.
What’s more, the AKA created the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) Standards Program to legitimize participating kratom vendors. The program requires participants to submit to a third-party audit, which demonstrates the purity and safety of their kratom products.
By demanding proper labeling, manufacturing, verification, and distribution, the AKA GMP program forces kratom manufacturers to take more responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of their potential customers. In so doing, the organization shows legislators that regulation can be more advantageous than an outright ban.
Overturning a ban isn’t easy, but it’s also not impossible. Nothing will happen unless enough citizens get involved, so reach out to your representatives today.
There are still kratom vendors shipping to banned states, such as Arkansas, but keep in mind that buying, selling, or possessing kratom in Arkansas is a felony. Depending on the amount of kratom a person possesses, they may face up to 20 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Yes, the penalties for kratom are the same as any other Schedule I substance.
If you get caught with more than two grams of kratom, you may be charged with a class C felony, which is punishable by three to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $5,000 or more. Alternatively, you can get charged with a class B felony for possessing more than 28 grams.
A class B felony is punishable by five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while public possession can be equally strict.
Keep in mind that vendors who ship to banned states are taking a huge risk. That suggests that they are not serious about their business plan. They are likely selling poor-quality kratom and may even be a scam. If you are scammed by a website selling a product that is illegal to ship to Arkansas, you have no recourse with your bank or law enforcement.
Correcting the state law is not the only solution to the kratom legality problem in Arkansas. A federal Kratom Consumer Protection Act would also establish the right to use kratom in the Land of Opportunity.
Arkansans can contact their state and federal representatives to advocate for a change in the laws, either at the state or federal level.
The kratom industry, including Golden Monk and other producers of high-quality kratom, supports the KCPA and other regulations that would protect kratom’s legality and protect kratom users’ safety.
If there is a nationwide or state-based movement to regulate kratom, we could:
These changes would make kratom a more consistent product, and users could more easily understand what they are buying and how to use it safely and properly.
Kratom grows in Southeast Asia, where it has been used for medicinal and spiritual practices for generations. Mitragyna speciosa’s leaves can be harvested at different stages in their growth to create different potential results. Kratom is typically categorized into White, Green, and Red vein varieties, based on the color of the veins at the point of being harvested.
Kratom is prepared in a variety of ways, including:
Kratom users choose a strain (type of plant), vein (age of leaves), and format to get the results they want.
Kratom’s popularity is linked to its many reported benefits. Researchers are still learning more about why kratom works the way it does and how to get the most predictable results without any negative effects.
At Golden Monk, we look forward to seeing more scientific research into kratom!
Kratom enthusiasts report a number of benefits, which may include:
Kratom is like all other herbal substances; it has the potential to be overused or misused. In these cases, kratom users may experience negative effects, including:
To avoid negative outcomes, kratom users should start with very small serving sizes. Monitor your reaction to these smaller amounts before increasing your serving.
With such harsh penalties in place for simply owning a natural substance, it’s really not worth it to look for vendors that ship kratom to banned states. Some Arkansas residents cross the border into Oklahoma to buy kratom, but you’re taking a big risk if you bring it back with you.
We recommend contacting your representatives to express your concerns about the ongoing kratom ban in Arkansas. If you want to use kratom, you will need to leave the state.
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