South Carolina kratom limits stalled, likely to return

May 8, 2026

Summary

A South Carolina bill to further restrict kratom stalled in the Senate, but lawmakers said they will revisit it next year.

Why this matters

The decision leaves South Carolina’s current kratom law in place while lawmakers weigh whether to tighten regulation or preserve access for some users. The issue is likely to return next session, affecting retailers, consumers, and enforcement.

A South Carolina bill to further restrict kratom stalled in the Senate on Thursday, ending its chances of becoming law this year. Senators said they expected the issue to return next year, with three days left in the 2026 regular session.

Opponents said the bill would effectively remove kratom from stores, including lower-potency products some people use for chronic pain or to avoid opioids. Supporters said any death linked to kratom was too many and argued that the current law does not limit potency.

Lawmakers last year barred anyone under 21 from buying kratom, a substance whose effects can vary by dose. House members pushing the new bill said stronger limits were needed because some products can cause addiction, liver toxicity, and death.

Senators on the Medical Affairs Committee said they agreed more oversight may be needed, but they did not vote on the bill, saying they needed more information.

“We all know it’s addictive,” said Senate Medical Affairs Chairman Danny Verdin, R-Laurens. “I want to know if it’s debilitating. I want to know if it’s killing people.”

A central dispute was how to distinguish natural kratom from synthetic or altered products. Kratom comes from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia. Researchers and doctors told senators this week that as the U.S. market grew, companies developed synthetic forms that were more potent and more likely to cause harmful side effects.

Last year’s law banned laboratory-made versions.

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South Carolina

South Carolina kratom limits stalled, likely to return

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A South Carolina bill to further restrict kratom stalled in the Senate on Thursday, ending its chances of becoming law this year. Senators said they expected the issue to return next year, with three days left in the 2026 regular session.

Opponents said the bill would effectively remove kratom from stores, including lower-potency products some people use for chronic pain or to avoid opioids. Supporters said any death linked to kratom was too many and argued that the current law does not limit potency.

Lawmakers last year barred anyone under 21 from buying kratom, a substance whose effects can vary by dose. House members pushing the new bill said stronger limits were needed because some products can cause addiction, liver toxicity, and death.

Senators on the Medical Affairs Committee said they agreed more oversight may be needed, but they did not vote on the bill, saying they needed more information.

“We all know it’s addictive,” said Senate Medical Affairs Chairman Danny Verdin, R-Laurens. “I want to know if it’s debilitating. I want to know if it’s killing people.”

A central dispute was how to distinguish natural kratom from synthetic or altered products. Kratom comes from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia. Researchers and doctors told senators this week that as the U.S. market grew, companies developed synthetic forms that were more potent and more likely to cause harmful side effects.

Last year’s law banned laboratory-made versions.

Opponents said the bill would effectively remove kratom from stores, including lower-potency products some people use for chronic pain or to avoid opioids. Supporters said any death linked to kratom was too many and argued that the current law does not limit potency.
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