MISSOURI GOVERNOR VETOS KCPA

On July 1st, 2022, Governor Parson vetoed House Bill 1667, Missouri’s Kratom Consumer Protection (KCPA).

Governor Parson vetoed the bill for three main reasons. First, he claimed that defining kratom as a food product or dietary ingredient would violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, a federal law where products containing adulterated or misbranded kratom could be seized by the FDA. Second, he attests that there is a state law that already provides protections for labeling and packaging. Lastly, he states he has safety concerns for kratom because it is not FDA approved.

Missouri’s KCPA overwhelmingly passed in the House and the Senate. It outlined specific ways on how to provide safe kratom to the public, by implementing Good Manufacturing Practices which includes proper labeling and quality control procedures, as well as prohibiting the sale of dangerous adulterated, synthetic, and contaminated kratom products.

The American Kratom Association hosted a “Protect Kratom Virtual Rally” on July 7th to discuss the “next steps in overcoming these latest attacks” on kratom. In the virtual rally, Mark Haddow, Senior of Public Policy at the AKA, showed how the Governor was misinformed by the FDA. Earlier this year, members of the FDA agreed there were significant knowledge gaps about kratom, which required the department to conduct more thorough research on kratom. It was also acknowledged by the department that the documented harmful effects were caused by adulterated kratom products, or using kratom with other substances. Despite this, the Governor used outdated information from 2018 to back his claims. Furthermore, Haddow explained that on a federal level, there are no plans to schedule kratom as an illegal substance. Ultimately, the AKA showed during the rally that Governor Parson’s veto statement contained inaccurate information regarding kratom and the federal laws surrounding it.

The AKA plans to appeal this decision by providing further education to the Missouri Governor’s office. Last year, the Oregon governor also vetoed their KCPA, however, with the AKA’s efforts, this decision was overturned. Because of this, the AKA is hopeful that the Governor of Missouri may change his mind.

How can you help?

When it comes down to kratom regulation, it gets very political. It’s important to support your state and local lawmakers who are in favor of kratom regulation. Representative Phil Christofanelli of St. Peters introduced the KCPA in Missouri and has been an active advocate for kratom legislation. He even was present in AKA’s virtual rally. Haddow encouraged kratom consumers to aid Rep. Christofanelli in his efforts in Missouri. The AKA is also planning to have an in-person rally, so make sure you follow the AKA and stay informed of any updates they may have.