The latest interest to burst onto the scene.
You may have heard of it; you may not have. It’s called kratom.
Although it has been around for centuries in parts of Southeast Asia and Africa, it has just recently gained popularity in The West. There has been a lot of debate over kratom.
There are medical professionals on both sides of the aisle. Some say it’s great, others say it’s dangerous. Some say it should be legal, others say it shouldn’t be.
Currently, kratom is legal in select areas throughout the United States. But is kratom legal in Tennessee?
Stay with us and we’ll tell you all about it.
What Is Kratom?
If you’re new to the kratom scene, it will help to hear a little bit about what kratom is. Kratom is a plant that thrives in Southeast Asia and parts of Africa.
The plant’s fancy scientific name is Mitragyna Speciosa.
Fast forward to the modern-day, and people all over the world are buying kratom in a variety of ways, strains and veins.
Is Kratom Legal in Tennessee?
Why would people be wondering “is kratom legal in Tennessee?”
For the purposes of everyone reading, the following is a list of states where kratom is currently legal:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California – except San Diego. They banned Kratom
- Colorado – Outside Denver. Denver made it illegal
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida – Outside Sarasota County
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois – Outside the City of Jerseyville for people 18+
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi – Outside Union County
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire – legal for anyone 18+
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee – Kratom is legal for anyone 21+
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
They’re listed in alphabetical order and if you’ll notice, Tennessee has made the list. Which begs the question: why so much uncertainty around kratom’s legality in the State of Tennessee?
Tennessee Kratom Ban
Tennessee has passed a law regulating the sale of kratom. The law has been confusing residents of the State, but maybe we can shed a little light on it.
It turns out that although synthetic forms of kratom have been banned, naturally occurring forms of kratom still remain legal. Kratom needs to be clearly and properly labeled, and also can’t be sold to persons under the age of 21.
There is still a lot of public outcry over the law because of its confusing nature. Several people have been wrongfully fined when they were actually in possession of naturally made kratom.
Problems with the Kratom Ban
Kratom is relatively new on the scene here in the Western World. Tennessee, like most states, doesn’t have the forensic ability to determine if the active ingredient in a particular sample of kratom is synthetic or naturally derived.
In addition to the lack of forensic resources, the amount of the active ingredient in the plant itself can vary. This makes it very hard to pinpoint a “baseline” to go on when comparing other samples confiscated by law enforcement.
The uncertainty and “blurred lines” (grey area) around the law are a major cause for concern. If someone is in possession of naturally derived kratom and is mistakenly cited for synthetic kratom, they are said to be in violation of the law.
That is a felony charge with some serious repercussions. Some kratom proprietors are setting up shop just across state lines to avoid the scrutiny of Tennessee police.
In previous years, cases surrounding kratom possession have escalated to the point of possible civil rights lawsuits against the State of Tennessee. The murkiness of the law as it stands is a “no-win” scenario for both sides.
However, federally, there has been the same type of “back-and-forth” on the legality of kratom. The DEA had filed a federal ban on the substance, only to rescind it later based on a lack of empirical evidence and studies done on kratom itself.
Kratom and Tennessee
What does this all mean for kratom and Tennessee? Currently, as stated before, kratom in its natural form is still legal.
Where the confusion comes in is there are a lot of forms of kratom that can be considered synthetic. You may want to avoid any forms of kratom that are not pure powder.
Next Move in Tennessee
There’s more to it than meets the eye when determining is kratom legal in Tennessee. The legal situation in the state needs some clearing up.
If you’re curious about the availability of kratom, or you’re a business owner looking to buy it wholesale for your own shop, feel free to reach out.