New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners Endorses Kratom Regulation Over Ban

The New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners (BME) voted unanimously to endorse the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) bill, S1476. Another bill, S3359, seeks to criminalize kratom consumers by placing kratom on New Jersey's list of controlled substances.

“This is an important step to ensure kratom consumers have access to safely formulated and labeled kratom products to reduce the risk of adulterated or contaminated kratom products,” said the American Kratom Association in a statement. “Equally important, this decision sends a clear message that criminalization is not the solution and stands in stark contrast to the persistent misinformation."

The BME requested public comments for a hearing held on January 8 where it considered both the kratom regulation and prohibition bills. 

The New Jersey Kratom Consumer Protection Act, S1476, was introduced in January 2024. The bipartisan bill is co-sponsored by Senators Joseph Lagana and John Bramnick. The bill has been sitting in the Senate Commerce Committee since its introduction.

S1476 aims to regulate the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of kratom products to ensure consumer safety. The bill requires proper labeling, testing for contaminants, and prohibits the sale of adulterated kratom. It also mandates that kratom products be sold only to individuals aged 18 and older.

Another New Jersey Senate bill seeks to ban kratom. S3359 outlaws the manufacture, sale, and possession of kratom. The bill, sponsored by Senators Robert Singer, James Holzapfel, and Paul Moriarty, was introduced in June 2024, and remains in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

A companion bill to the KCPA, A1188, was also introduced in 2024 and sits in the New Jersey Assembly in the Consumer Affairs Committee.

Kratom bills both prohibiting and regulating kratom, dating back to 2015, have all failed. Kratom remains legal and unregulated in New Jersey.