24-05-2025
Kratom bill turns controversial as some call for governor to veto it
DENVER (KDVR) — A bill that passed just before lawmakers gaveled out of this year's legislative session could be in jeopardy. Industry groups are calling on the governor to veto a measure that supporters said will add more safeguards to a substance called kratom.
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Lawmakers want to make sure people buying kratom products know exactly what they're getting. Some industry insiders said a bill they passed looking to do that could have unintended consequences.
Kratom is an herbal substance that some people use to help relieve things like pain and anxiety; the DEA lists it as a chemical of concern. Some people also use it to help with withdrawals from drugs like opioids or fentanyl. The bill passed on the last day of session this year after a representative used a rarely used maneuver to stop the measure from dying on the calendar and get it on the House floor for a vote.
It got bipartisan support from lawmakers in both chambers, but industry opponents of the measure worry the bill is not backed by science, and the measure would end up hurting consumers due to confusion surrounding which products the measure is trying to bill underwent some big changes regarding the regulation of the product, but sponsors said they worry kratom is too easily available without much oversight.
'What worries me about this bill is that it sets a bad precedent and it creates a framework that is going to have to be basically completely overhauled and reworked for it to create real protections for consumers. I worry this bill is too stringent on certain definitions that don't create meaningful protections or regulations and actually just generate confusion,' said Kyle Ray, Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust Board Member.
'This product that people say can do all these things for them can be bought on the gas station countertop or in your local smoke shop. I think that is really concerning. I think that when we have a product that mimics these things, that can replace these things for people, we need to make sure that we are keeping a close eye on it,' said Senator Kyle Mullica, a prime sponsor of the bill. 'What's still left in the bill is making sure that it is reported and identified what's in the product? Making sure that we have some potency limits in there, making sure that there are certain synthetic forms are the products that are not going to be sold in Colorado. I think ideally, you know, eventually, we still want to look at licensure, I think that's the ultimate enforcement mechanism, where our fiscal space was this year in the legislature. That wasn't possible.'
Some HART members have reportedly urged community members to call for a veto in exchange for products. Mullica called that tactic bribery.
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The Governor's Office has said he will review all the bills that passed this session. He has two weeks to make a decision.
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