A Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper
Last week Gov. Kim Reynolds held a press conference warning Iowans of the dangers of kratom and encouraging state action to combat this dangerous substance. Kratom is unknown to many, and while it may come from a plant, that does not make it safe.
What is kratom?
Kratom is a tree, native to Southeast Asia. The leaves of the tree are sought due to two significant psychoactive ingredients (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymytragynine) which can act as a stimulant and as a sedative in different doses. According to the DEA, kratom leaves may be consumed in several ways, including brewing into tea, smoked, or taken in capsules.
What are the effects of kratom?
Kratom can produce different effects depending on the amount consumed. Lower doses may produce increased energy and alertness, while higher doses can cause sedation and pain relief.
Kratom can also produce opioid-like effects, including physical dependence and withdrawal. The FDA warns that kratom use can result in serious adverse effects, including liver toxicity, seizures and substance use disorder.
Other reported effects include high blood pressure, nausea and vomiting, constipation, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations and delusions. Kratom has also been associated with liver damage and, in some cases, serious respiratory effects.
Kratom use can affect more than just the person taking it. The FDA is aware of cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome, in which newborns exposed to kratom during pregnancy experienced withdrawal symptoms after birth.
Where is kratom sold?
Because kratom is mostly unregulated it is found all over the state and online. The potency can very significantly depending on the seller, the tree the product came from, and any additional chemicals added to the drug.
What is the legal status of kratom on the federal and state level?
According to Governor Reynolds in a press conference this week, the DEA classified three synthetic kratom-derived compounds as schedule I controlled substances (mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM‑15 and MGM‑16 ). This means these synthetic compounds have a high potential for abuse and no known medical use. Another compound from kratom (7-OH) is also under review for emergency classification. Retailers are forbidden from selling products with any of the schedule I kratom derived compounds.
What can be done in Iowa to combat the dangers of kratom?
Iowa has an opportunity to take stronger action to protect families from the risks associated with kratom and its dangerous derivatives.
In 2026, the House led the effort to address the problem through House File 2133, which designated kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance and establish criminal penalties. The bill passed the Iowa House with bipartisan support by a vote of 69-26.
The legislation did not pass the Senate, leaving Iowa without the comprehensive state-level prohibition approved by the House.
The dangers of kratom are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. The FDA warns of serious health risks, while the DEA has taken action against increasingly potent kratom-derived substances.
Iowa should not wait for the problem to get worse before acting.
Contact Megan Jones by email: megan.jones@legis.iowa.gov.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here