SOUTH CAROLINA KRATOM BAN: H.4641 ADVANCES TO FULL COMMITTEE — TAKE ACTION BEFORE TUESDAY

H.4641, the full South Carolina kratom ban bill, has advanced to the full House Judiciary Committee. The hearing is this Tuesday, April 14, beginning 1.5 hours after the House adjourns. Public testimony is not accepted at this stage. Emails and letters are the most impactful actions South Carolina consumers can take right now. Here's what you need to do before Tuesday.

Take Action Now

Public testimony is not accepted at the full Committee hearing. Emails are the action.

• 📅 Tuesday, April 14 — 1.5 hours after the House adjourns

• 📺 Watch live: scstatehouse.gov/video/stream.php?key=16353&audio=0

• 📧 Submit written comments: HJudComm@schouse.gov

• 🔗 Full action toolkit: protectkratom.org/southcarolina

What to Say

Write in your own words and include your personal story. Make these points:

• You are a South Carolina resident asking them to vote NO on H.4641

• South Carolina already passed the Kratom Consumer Protection Act — ban dangerous synthetic 7-OH products, not natural kratom

• You support regulation over prohibition, not criminalization of responsible consumers

• FDA Commissioner Makary has specifically distinguished natural kratom from synthetic 7-OH — local law should reflect that

• If kratom has supported your wellness, share your personal story; it is what lawmakers remember most

Suggested Email Subject

"Please Vote NO on H.4641 — Support Regulation Over Prohibition"

What H.4641 Would Do

H.4641 was introduced on January 13, 2026 and currently has 16 House sponsors, a signal of serious legislative backing. The bill would do two things at once, and both are serious.

First, it would add kratom to South Carolina's list of Schedule I controlled substances, making it a crime to buy, sell, or possess any form of kratom in the state. The bill's language is sweeping, covering kratom and any "salt, sulfate, isomer, homologue, analogue, or other preparation of kratom," synthetic or otherwise. There is no distinction between natural kratom leaf and the synthetic, adulterated concentrates that federal regulators have actually flagged as the real public health concern. Everything is banned.

Second, and critically, it would repeal the South Carolina Kratom Consumer Protection Act entirely. That existing law established a regulated framework for kratom sales in the state, including consumer protections that responsible producers and advocates fought to put in place. H.4641 would wipe it off the books the moment it is signed by the Governor.

This is not just a new ban. It is a deliberate rollback of consumer protections that South Carolina already has.

The FDA has drawn a clear line between natural kratom and synthetic 7-OH products, identifying enhanced 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) concentrates as the real concern, not natural kratom leaf. FDA Commissioner Martin Makary has been explicit: "We are not targeting the kratom leaf or ground-up kratom. We are targeting a concentrated synthetic byproduct that is an opioid." The AHPA has similarly warned against conflating 7-OH with natural kratom. As research discussed on the Huberman Lab podcast and confirmed by an FDA-supervised dosage study makes clear, these are fundamentally different products. A blanket ban ignores all of that and punishes the wrong people.

The Right Path Forward

South Carolina already has the right framework in place. The Kratom Consumer Protection Act passed just last year established a regulated market that protects consumers through safety standards, age restrictions, and clear labeling. That law should be enforced and built upon, not repealed and replaced with prohibition.

Targeting dangerous synthetic 7-OH products is the right public health strategy. A blanket ban that also repeals existing consumer protections is not.

The Bigger Picture

States that have chosen regulation over prohibition have consistently produced better outcomes for consumers and public health alike. South Carolina made the right choice when it passed its KCPA. H.4641 would undo all of it.

The hearing is Tuesday. Emails to HJudComm@schouse.gov are the most impactful action available right now. Send yours today and visit protectkratom.org/southcarolina for the full action toolkit. For the latest on kratom legality in South Carolina and other states, visit our kratom legality map.