Florida is the latest state in the Union that has passed a law supporting the sale and purchase of Kratom products. Gov. Ron DeSantis had signed the bill that was originally sponsored by State Sen. Joe Gruthers, R-Sarasota. This is just the next example of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act being signed into law.
Florida is now the 11th state to pass Kratom law. Similar bills have already been introduced and passed in 10 other states, with bills expecting to be passed in Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia in the next year. On top of that, more bills are underway in New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Although Kratom is still technically legal at the federal level, states are allowed to decide if they want to permit the selling and buying of Kratom within their state borders.
Florida Kratom Laws: What It Means
The passing of this bill legalizes the sale of Kratom within the state under specific conditions. Aside from some of the frequently asked questions, like what is Kratom and how Kratom is made, state legality is something that often comes up as a question of proper guidelines and regulation.
According to the latest Florida Kratom laws, Kratom products may not be marketed to minors and must meet quality standards. The precise nature of how those standards are set and established are still to be worked out. For one thing, Kratom testing is something that needs to be standardized across the board for all manufacturers.
Chief police fellow of the American Kratom Association, Mac Haddow, told Natural Products Insider that, “Kratom is now legal in Florida as long as the products are not adulterated and meet the standard.” This is considered a big win for the industry as barriers continue to be taken down and the benefits of Kratom are offered to a larger, growing audience of those seeking natural support for everyday use.
One sign of caution though is that the fees for vendor registration still need to be identified. The Florida Department of Agriculture was asking for $10 million in order to administer the provisions of the bill. This seems like an astronomical number as the costs of administering a similar law in Idaho was a fraction of the cost.
With each passing bill and state opening its markets, there is a new caveat that makes it difficult to fully enact these bills and their entirety. But that just says that change is coming, and it’s coming quickly.
Florida Kratom Laws: Why It Matters
To non-Kratom users this may not seem like a big deal. But inside the world of Kratom, this is a major breakthrough. With each passing bill, Kratom becomes more and more accessible and offers a larger platform for audiences to recognize that Kratom is here to help – and stay!
By increasing the amount of bills passing at the state level, there is more and more pressure being put on the federal level to create an all-encompassing regulatory framework that would provide a solution for all states.
However, this could just be wishful thinking. This is the same issue that has plagued the CBD and vape industries for years, and it continues to be a thorn in their side as brands look to expand their audiences.
In fact, manufacturers are still fighting the feds for seizing over $3 million worth of Kratom products. According to the amended complaint, prosecutors describe the products as “adulterated” under federal law because the products simply contain Kratom.
It seems that no matter what sort of wins we experience as an industry, the powers-that-be are always trying to find ways that make it more difficult for people to access the benefits of Kratom.
At Kats Botanicals, we’ll continue to cover these stories and fight the good fight. Come join the movement!
