State Moves to Pull Kratom Off Store Shelves, Handing Local Boards of Health New Enforcement Power
BOSTON — August 13, 2026 — Governor Maura Healey announced an emergency order temporarily classifying all forms of kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance under Massachusetts law, a move that will make the widely sold products illegal to sell in the state’s smoke shops, convenience stores and gas stations and give local boards of health direct authority to act against retailers that continue to stock them.
The order, issued by Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD, takes effect after a 14-day notice period and will remain in place for up to one year. It arrives after months of debate in South Shore communities, where boards of health have wrestled with whether — and how — to regulate a product sold openly at the counter with almost no oversight.
The Full Story
Kratom is a leafy plant native to Southeast Asia that contains naturally occurring compounds, including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). Depending on dose and potency, it can produce stimulant-like or opioid-like effects. It is sold in powders, tablets, capsules, gummies, dissolvable strips and other forms.
The central problem, according to DPH, is that buyers have no reliable way to know what they are getting. Products vary widely in potency and ingredients, and some newer formulations contain highly concentrated or laboratory-modified compounds with significantly stronger opioid-like effects than the raw plant material.
“Dangerous kratom products are being sold in stores across Massachusetts with little oversight, and people — including children — often have no way of knowing what they’re buying or how potent it is,” Healey said. “Customers should be able to trust that the products being sold in stores are safe.”
Placing kratom in Schedule I is the state’s most restrictive drug classification, reserved for substances determined to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. The practical effect for municipalities is enforcement leverage: local boards of health and other municipal officials will have clear legal footing to take action against retailers, rather than relying on the patchwork of local ordinances and voluntary compliance that has defined the response so far.
That distinction matters locally. Boards of health across the region have spent much of the past year debating whether to impose their own restrictions, with some members arguing a town-by-town approach would simply push sales one municipality over.
Cheryl Sbarra, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards, framed the order as filling that gap. “Until now, kratom products were largely unregulated in Massachusetts,” she said. “We are increasingly concerned about their use, especially among young people, because these products are readily available in convenience stores across the Commonwealth.”
The Health Risks
DPH cites a range of documented effects associated with kratom use, including seizures, hallucinations, psychosis, physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms that resemble opioid withdrawal. Regular use can produce dependence.
The agency also warns of overdose risk, particularly with highly potent products, products containing unknown substances, or when kratom is combined with opioids, alcohol, benzodiazepines or other sedatives. Kratom-related deaths have been reported but remain uncommon, and typically involve other substances or underlying health conditions.
Because the effects can be opioid-like, DPH advises that naloxone should be administered immediately if someone who has used kratom has slowed or stopped breathing. Naloxone is available without a prescription at pharmacies and many retail locations statewide.
“In public health, we need to be nimble, responding to new and emerging threats with evidence-based actions,” Goldstein said. “Kratom is increasingly being used by youth and adults, and many are unaware of the risks, including overdose, dependence, and serious health consequences.”
Law Enforcement Response
Police leaders backed the order. Arlington Police Chief Julie Flaherty pointed to the legal-purchase problem directly: “Too often, we respond to calls involving products that were purchased legally off a store shelf, with buyers having no real understanding of what they contained or how potent they were.” She said the order gives municipal officials “the tools they need to hold retailers accountable.”
Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez said the action addresses an emerging threat “before they become more deeply rooted and cause greater harm.” The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association also endorsed the move, with Executive Director Chief Michael J. Bradley, Jr. (Ret.) calling for “clear standards and safeguards.”
Why It Matters
For residents, the most immediate change is availability: within roughly two weeks, kratom products should begin disappearing from local store shelves, and retailers who keep selling them face enforcement action from their local board of health.
For anyone currently using kratom regularly, the more consequential issue is withdrawal. Dependence is real, and an abrupt supply cutoff can produce opioid-like withdrawal symptoms. Treatment is available, including medications, counseling, peer support and behavioral health services.
For local retailers, the order eliminates a product category that has become a meaningful revenue line for some smoke shops and convenience stores — a point raised repeatedly during earlier board of health debates.
Getting Help
Individuals seeking help for themselves or a loved one can call or text “HOPE” to 800-327-5050 to reach the Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
DPH has launched new resources at mass.gov/kratom covering the risks, how to recognize and respond to an overdose, and how to access treatment and recovery services.
What’s Next
The order takes effect following the 14-day notice period and remains in place for up to one year, meaning a more permanent regulatory framework — through legislation or formal rulemaking — would need to follow if the state intends to make the restriction lasting. DPH says it is distributing guidance to local boards of health, health care providers and substance use treatment programs, and will hold an informational webinar for local public health officials to support implementation.
Prior South Shore News coverage of the kratom debate is available here and here. The Governor’s full announcement is available at mass.gov.