As of Thursday, a permanent ban on synthetic versions of the Asian herb kratom is in place in Ohio. But many medical experts and state lawmakers say all forms of kratom are dangerous and can even be deadly, though people who use it claim it helps them manage pain without opioids or other drugs.
Synthetic kratom has been sold at gas stations, vape shops and convenience stores. The permanent ban on synthetic kratom comes from a rule set by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, known as JCARR, following a hearing in April. Troy mayor Robin Ota spoke to the lawmakers on that panel at the hearing.
“We are anxious to have this eliminated from the state of Ohio. I want it eliminated for my community. We are seeing the damage every day,” Ota said. “It’s a destructive machine in our community. We get phone calls from families who are asking us to do something, and we have to tell them right now we can’t. We’re waiting on the state. I want to see the state of Ohio take the lead on this.”…