Is Kratom Legal in Ohio? Leaf, Blends, Extracts and 7-OH Explained

Last reviewed: October 17, 2026. This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. Ohio's kratom rules have changed several times since late 2025 and are still being litigated, so check the Ohio Board of Pharmacy's current notice before you buy, sell or carry kratom.

Kratom has been sold in Ohio smoke shops, gas stations and online for years. Since late 2025, though, the rules have changed fast: some products are still legal, others are now treated like Schedule I drugs. Here's where things stand.

Short answer: Is kratom legal in Ohio? Natural kratom leaf, including dried leaf ground into powder, is legal to sell and possess. But under Ohio Board of Pharmacy rule OAC 4729:9-1-01.1, 7-OH and other kratom-derived synthetic compounds, kratom extracts and tinctures, and kratom blended with other ingredients are not legal in Ohio. Federally, the plant isn't scheduled, but the DEA is moving to control 7-OH.

What's legal and what isn't in Ohio

The Board of Pharmacy's notice sorts kratom into four groups:

The Board also says natural leaf that contains trace amounts of 7-OH can still be sold, because the rule exempts natural kratom in vegetation form.

How Ohio got here

• December 12, 2025: emergency rule. The Board of Pharmacy adopted OAC 4729:9-1-01.1 as an emergency rule, placing mitragynine-related compounds such as 7-OH in Schedule I.
• May 19, 2026: permanent rule. The permanent version took effect. According to the Board, it bans extracts, tinctures and synthetic compounds while exempting mitragynine in natural vegetative form.
• August 4, 2026: blended products. The Board's notice lists blended kratom products as illegal from this date and refers to Franklin County Common Pleas Court Case No. 26-CV-004790. The notice was most recently revised on October 5, 2026.

Because this has been challenged in court and revised more than once, the Board's current notice is the best place to check before you rely on any of the above. It's also worth checking the Ohio General Assembly's website for any new kratom legislation.

Federal law: kratom vs. 7-OH

• The kratom plant isn't federally scheduled. Federal action has focused on concentrated or synthetic compounds rather than the leaf.
• FDA, July 29, 2025. The FDA recommended scheduling certain 7-OH products under the Controlled Substances Act. It said it was "specifically targeting 7-OH, a concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant; it is not focused on natural kratom leaf products," and that "7-OH is not lawful in dietary supplements and 7-OH cannot be lawfully added to conventional foods."
• DEA, 2026. A temporary order placed mitragynine pseudoindoxyl in Schedule I on August 26, 2026. On October 14, 2026, the DEA published a notice of intent to temporarily schedule 7-OH and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl above a specified threshold, replacing an earlier July 2026 notice. A notice of intent is not yet a final order, so watch for the temporary order itself.

Safety: what official sources say

The FDA says 7-OH "can be more potent than morphine" and has potential for abuse because it binds to opioid receptors, and that there are no FDA-approved 7-OH drugs. It has also warned that some 7-OH products, such as gummies and drink shots, may not be clearly or accurately labeled and are sometimes marketed as kratom. If you have questions about kratom and your health, or are trying to stop using it, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.

Practical tips if you're in Ohio

1. Read the label. Plain dried leaf or leaf powder is in a different legal category from extracts, shots, "enhanced" tablets and products listing 7-OH.
2. Be wary of blends. Kratom mixed with other ingredients is listed as illegal from August 4, 2026.
3. If you're a retailer, follow the Board's notice, remove banned products, and contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Division of Food Safety about food-safety rules for natural kratom.
4. Don't assume other states match Ohio. Kratom and 7-OH rules vary widely from state to state.

For another substance where federal and state rules have recently shifted, see is delta-8 legal in Nebraska?

Sources

• Ohio Board of Pharmacy, "Consumer and Retailer Notice: Sale and Possession of Kratom in Ohio" (revised October 5, 2026)
• Ohio Adm. Code 4729:9-1-01.1, Mitragynine-related compounds (codes.ohio.gov)
• FDA, "FDA Takes Steps to Restrict 7-OH Opioid Products Threatening American Consumers" (July 29, 2025)
• Federal Register, DEA notice of intent to temporarily schedule 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (October 14, 2026)