The state could ban a herbal supplement next month that would effectively make it against the law to possess the product.
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy delayed making a decision last week on whether to regulate kratom as a Schedule 1 controlled substance — the same category as heroin and LSD.
Advocates and kratom retailers have touted the product as a healing herb and shared personal stories of life changing benefits, while medical groups have cited health risks and supported the proposed ban. The FDA has said that kratom marketers are making unproven claims that put consumers at risk.
Kratom, or mitragyna speciosa, is a plant native to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is now available and for sale in Ohio and has grown in popularity in recent years.