Is Kratom Legal in Massachusetts? (Understanding Kratom Abuse)
Is kratom legal in Massachusetts? If so, are there any current efforts to regulate it or ban it completely?
Contact Lake Avenue Recovery today to learn more about kratom rehab in Massachusetts.
What Is Kratom?
Kratom is a substance with both stimulant- and opioid-like properties. It is made from the leaves of Mitragyna specios, an evergreen tree that is native to Southeast Asia.
Uses
In areas where this tree naturally grows, kratom leaves have been used since at least the 1800s as an energy-booster and painkiller, as well as to treat wounds and address certain other medical problems.
Historically, kratom users chewed the leaves, brewed them into a tea, or mixed them into a poultice when treating wounds. Today, it is frequently sold as a pill, capsule, powder, or tea.
Kratom proponents claim that it can ease symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhance focus and concentration, alleviate both acute and chronic pain, and even minimize the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
Those who advocate against using it note that these claims are not widely supported by research, and that the risks of ingesting kratom outweigh its benefits.
Oversight
Kratom did not begin to become popular in the U.S. until the early 2000s. It is typically marketed as a supplement or herbal remedy, which are categories of substances that do not require review and approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
As kratom use became more widespread in the U.S., reports emerged of people experiencing severe side effects after using it. Concerns about safety prompted both the FDA and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to issue warnings about kratom use, though it currently remains legal on the federal level.
However, several states, counties, and municipalities have taken action to ban it or restrict its use to adults.
Is Kratom Legal in Massachusetts?
Is kratom legal in Massachusetts? Yes, it is. For now.
According to a January 2026 report by the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, 30 states and the District of Columbia currently have some type of laws to regulate kratom or its psychoactive ingredients.
Massachusetts is one of the 20 states that have not passed any laws to limit the sale, possession, or use of kratom. But that may be changing in the not-too-distant future.
Two kratom-related bills are currently working their way through the Massachusetts legislature:
- Senate Bill 1558, which was introduced by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-First Middlesex) in February 2025, would ban the sale of kratom outright. The next hearing on that bill is scheduled for July 31.
- House Bill 5127, which had six co-sponsors when it was introduced in February 2026, would outlaw the sale or distribution of kratom to anyone under the age of 21. That bill is currently with the House Ways and Means Committee.
In a March 26 Western MASS News article, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy said that representatives from the state’s Department of Public Health had been discussing the issue with officials from Connecticut, which had banned kratom just a few days earlier.
“If there are substances out there at gas stations or elsewhere that are a danger, a threat to the health of our people, I’m going to take action.” Healey said. “But we’ve got to learn a little bit more.”
When Connecticut outlawed kratom earlier this year, it became the seventh state to enact a full ban on the substance.
As of June 2026, it is illegal to sell, possess, or use kratom in:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Indiana
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Wisconsin
How Does Kratom Work?
Kratom’s effects can vary depending on how much a person uses. In smaller doses, it acts as a stimulant, reducing fatigue and increasing energy. In larger doses, it functions more like an opioid, elevating mood and diminishing pain.
An October 2023 article in the journal Molecules reported that researchers have identified almost 50 compounds in kratom leaves. The two most prevalent of these compounds, which experts believe are responsible for the bulk of kratom’s psychoactive effects, are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (which is often referred to as 7-OH).
These compounds interact with the same receptors in the central nervous system that opioids do. The impact of these interactions can include changes in how quickly pain signals and other messages are delivered through the central nervous system, and increases in the availability of certain mood-altering hormones and neurotransmitters.
Is Kratom Dangerous?
In May 2022, an article in the journal Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment described the possible dangers of kratom use as including “cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, and psychiatric effects.”
Specifically, the potential adverse effects cited in this article included:
- Headache
- Disorientation
- Agitation and irritability
- Aphasia (language impairment)
- Cardiac arrest
- Heart palpitations
- Elevated blood pressure
- Tachycardia (racing heart rate)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Liver and kidney problems
- Seizure
- Coma
Also, some children whose mothers who used kratom while pregnant have shown signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that kratom use has led to a significant uptick in calls to poison control centers.
- From 2015-2025, the annual number of kratom-related calls to poison control centers increased by 1,200%, rising from 258 in 2015 to 3,434 in 2025.
- From 2015-2025, poison control centers received a total of 14,449 reports involving kratom exposure, most of which involved men ages 20-39.
- During that period, kratom was also associated with 233 deaths, with the majority (79%) of these cases involving people who had multiple substances in their system at their time of death.
Find Help for Kratom Addiction in Massachusetts
The best way to avoid kratom-related health risks (and, depending on where you live, legal problems) is not to use the substance. If you find that you are unable or unwilling to stop using kratom, even with the knowledge that continuing to do so can put you in danger, that may be a sign of addiction.
Lake Avenue Recovery offers personalized outpatient care for adults who have become dependent on kratom and other substances. We also serve clients whose struggles with addiction are accompanied by anxiety, depression, and other co-occurring mental health concerns.
Untreated addiction can be devastating. But with our help and a concerted effort on your part, you can regain control of your behaviors and begin to live a much healthier life in recovery.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.