MASSACHUSETTS KRATOM BAN: LESS THAN 8 DAYS LEFT — MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD NOW

On August 13, 2026, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced that Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD has issued an emergency order placing all forms of kratom — including traditional botanical kratom leaf — into Schedule I under Massachusetts law. The order takes effect in less than 8 days.

The FDA and DEA moved to schedule synthetic 7-OH while leaving traditional botanical kratom leaf alone. Massachusetts has ignored that distinction entirely. This order criminalizes botanical kratom leaf products that tens of thousands of Massachusetts consumers use safely and responsibly every day.

This is the critical window. Massachusetts residents need to contact the Governor, the Department of Public Health, and their state legislators immediately. Please be respectful, factual, and tell your personal story. That is what moves officials.

If you live in Massachusetts — contact all three offices today.

If you live outside Massachusetts — share this with every Massachusetts kratom consumer you know. Time is running out.

Important Notice for Massachusetts Customers

The emergency order has not yet taken effect. Massachusetts customers can still place orders during this window. We are closely monitoring the situation and will communicate any changes to shipping status before the order takes effect. We encourage all Massachusetts customers to take action now.

Take Action Now

Step 1 — Contact Governor Maura Healey:

📞 Phone: (617) 725-4005

📞 Toll-free (MA): (888) 870-7770

📧 Email: Maura.Healey@mass.gov

🔗 Online: mass.gov/info-details/email-the-governors-office

Tell her: "I oppose placing traditional botanical kratom into Schedule I. Please reconsider or narrow this emergency action to target only concentrated synthetic 7-OH products." Share your personal story.

Step 2 — Contact the MA Department of Public Health:

Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD

📞 Phone: (617) 624-6000

📍 Address: 250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108

📧 Email: dph.info@mass.gov or dph.mcsr@mass.gov

Ask DPH to distinguish traditional botanical kratom from concentrated synthetic 7-OH products — they are not the same thing. Share your personal story.

Step 3 — Contact Your State Representative and State Senator:

🔍 Find your legislators: malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

Call AND email both.

Tell them: "I am a Massachusetts constituent and I oppose the emergency Schedule I designation of traditional botanical kratom. I support responsible regulation — age restrictions, testing, labeling, and manufacturing standards — not prohibition. Please protect access to traditional botanical kratom." Share your personal story.

🔗 Take action: protectkratom.org/massachusetts

📋 Read the Governor's full statement: mass.gov/news/governor-healey-takes-action-to-protect-young-people-and-residents-from-dangerous-kratom-products

What the Emergency Order Does — and Where It Gets It Wrong

Governor Healey's press release frames all kratom products as dangerous and largely unregulated. The concern about youth access and unregulated products is understandable — and it is one that responsible kratom advocates share. But the order's own language contains the very distinction that makes a blanket ban the wrong approach.

The press release explicitly acknowledges that newer kratom products contain highly concentrated or laboratory-modified compounds that can have significantly stronger opioid-like effects. That distinction — between traditional botanical kratom leaf and highly concentrated or laboratory-modified products — is exactly what responsible advocates have been making for years. And it is exactly the distinction this emergency order ignores by sweeping all forms of kratom into Schedule I under the same prohibition.

The FDA and DEA have taken targeted action against dangerous, chemically manipulated synthetic 7-OH products while leaving traditional botanical kratom leaf alone. Massachusetts has gone further — applying a blanket Schedule I classification to all forms of kratom without drawing the distinction that even its own press release acknowledges exists.

Massachusetts already has lawmakers working on kratom regulation legislation. This is not a choice between doing nothing and banning kratom. We can support 21+ sales, independent testing, accurate labeling, manufacturing standards, and consumer protection WITHOUT criminalizing traditional botanical kratom leaf.

Kratom advocates have taken this message directly to Washington. In a recent Congressional briefing, advocates urged lawmakers to support natural kratom leaf products while warning of the distinct risks posed by synthetic concentrates — reinforcing the same distinction that federal regulators have already drawn. Read more: Kratom Advocates Brief U.S. Congress in Support of Natural Leaf Products, Warn of the Risks Posed by Synthetics.

As research discussed on the Huberman Lab podcast makes clear, natural kratom leaf has a distinct profile that sets it apart from synthetic concentrates. That distinction was further reinforced by an FDA clinical trial — the first of its kind — which examined kratom's pharmacological profile and underscored why natural leaf should not be treated the same as dangerous synthetic 7-OH. For the latest on kratom legality in Massachusetts and other states, visit our kratom legality map. Learn more about kratom legality and regulation nationwide.

Why the Next 8 Days Are Critical

Less than 8 days remain in the notice period. Once the order takes effect, Massachusetts consumers lose legal access to traditional botanical kratom and the fight becomes significantly harder.

The AKA legislative team is actively working to counteract this order. Consumer voices right now are critical — every call to the Governor's office and DPH, every message sent through protectkratom.org/massachusetts, and every personal story shared with a state legislator adds to the pressure on decision-makers to reconsider.

This is also a national moment. Massachusetts is not the only state watching. What happens here in the next 8 days sends a signal to governors and health departments across the country about whether emergency orders targeting traditional botanical kratom leaf will be met with organized, effective consumer opposition.

Contact Governor Healey at (617) 725-4005 or toll-free at (888) 870-7770. Contact DPH at (617) 624-6000 or email dph.info@mass.gov. Find and contact your state legislators at malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator. Share your personal story.

Not in Massachusetts? Share this with every Massachusetts kratom consumer you know. The window is closing. Every voice matters.