Dear Advocates,

This week has been a powerful reminder of what happens when our community shows up, speaks out, and stands together.

Here’s what YOU helped accomplish:

• South Dakota (Jan. 22) – State Senators voted 20–13 against allowing a floor debate on SB 77, a bill that would have banned the sale, possession, and consumption of kratom and classified it as a Class 2 misdemeanor. The ban effort was stopped.

• Arizona (Feb. 18) – The Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee defeated a bill to ban kratom. Your outreach and personal stories made a difference.

• Wyoming (Feb. 19) – In a major win, the Senate Committee of the Whole defeated a kratom ban and instead passed the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. That’s not just defense — that’s progress.

• Utah (Feb. 19) – “A complete kratom ban is off the table in Utah this year” Utah legislation and regulation is still undecided but as the headlines are saying, we’ve moved away from the brink of a criminalization ban.

We also participated in a crucial California Informational Hearing this Wednesday. Read below for the full assessment. 

These victories reflect your calls, emails, testimony, and continued engagement. Lawmakers are hearing the truth: kratom is not a narcotic, and consumers deserve smart regulation — not prohibition.

🏛️ Connecticut: Support Needed Before Tuesday February 24

Connecticut is moving forward with another ban challenge. Advocates can still submit support ahead of the February 24 meeting.

👉 Support the Connecticut challenge here

 We have some momentum is on our side — but another big week ahead

Illinois

Hearing: Wednesday, 2/25/26
10:00 AM – House Executive Committee

Idaho

ID S.1282: Kratom consumer protection & safety

https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/S1282/

Hearing: Thursday, 2/26/26

Maryland – Two Important Bills

SB 820
Hearing: 2/26 at 1:00 PM (Finance Committee)
East Miller Senate Building, Room 3 – Annapolis, MD
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0820?ys=2026RS

HB 1523
Hearing: 3/03 at 1:00 PM (Health Committee)
House Office Building, Room 240 – Annapolis, MD
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB1523?ys=2026RS

These Maryland bills attempt to define kratom products as “unauthorized consumable products,” allowing citations and prohibiting retailers from selling or advertising them. This would effectively remove safe access for responsible consumers.

Maryland Testimony Rules

To provide oral or written testimony, you MUST create a MyMGA account through the Maryland General Assembly website.

• Sign-up opens two business days prior to the hearing
• Submission window: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• All testimony must be submitted by 6:00 p.m.
• Internet Explorer is not supported

More information:
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/pubs-current/current-fin-faqs.pdf

⚠️ Iowa Alert: Contact  Members Now

Iowa continues to be a serious concern. It’s critical that advocates contact majority members immediately and share why kratom consumer protection—not prohibition—is the right path.

👉 Take action here: Protectkratom.org/iowa

Tennessee: Help Stop Ban Attempts

Several kratom ban attempts remain active in Tennessee, and lawmakers need to hear directly from residents. If you live in Tennessee, please take a moment today to contact your legislators and share your story.

Use the official advocacy form here:
protectkratom.org/tenn

Personal stories from constituents make the greatest impact. Let your representatives know that kratom is not a narcotic and that responsible regulation — not prohibition — is the right path forward.

💙 Help Power the Fight — Every Donation Makes a Difference

Every victory takes research, rapid response teams, in-state lobbying, legal analysis, and constant grassroots coordination. If you’re able, please consider making a donation today to help fund these critical fights. Your support ensures we can show up in every state, counter misinformation, and protect safe, legal access to kratom nationwide.

👉 Donate today and stand with us

Wednesday’s California Senate Committee on Health Kratom Informational Hearing was a critical inflection point for the California Legislature to better understand the safety profile of natural kratom leaf and extract products that truly are helping people to manage their health and well-being, and the importance of access by consumers to these safely formulated products.

Importantly, it exposed the imminent threat posed by chemically manipulated 7-OH products and the dangerous product formulations the significantly increase the danger to consumers by an industry committed to mislead consumers that their products are just kratom.

Finally, the dogmatic and tone-deaf California Department of Public Health continued to justify their efforts to interfere with consumer access to safety formulated, appropriately labeled, and age restricted natural kratom leaf and extract products based solely on their extreme interpretation of the application of federal and state law on kratom products.

The American Kratom Association (AKA) will continue its efforts to encourage the California Legislature to protect access to safe kratom products for consumers and require the Department of Public Health to adhere to the regulatory requirements of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act.

Watch the recording here