COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Governor Mike DeWine is urging the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to outlaw both natural and synthetic kratom, a health supplement that has been under scrutiny. This move would mark the first such ban in the nation.
The move comes as ABC6 Investigates looked into claims of a Columbus mother who said kratom killed her son. Jennifer Young contacted ABC6 On Your Side in 2024 after her son Johnny died earlier in the year after consuming kratom. She said Johnny took kratom for his anxiety, but he began experiencing seizures.
An autopsy revealed his death was due to a combination of drugs, including mitragynine from kratom and gabapentin, a painkiller. Young has been advocating for a ban since her son’s death…