A bill updating legislation on the drug extract kratom passes the House.
Experts say kratom has opioid-like effects. In 2021, the state Legislature made it illegal to sell it to people younger than 21.
Rep. Brian Mulder is the bill’s prime House Sponsor. He said it’s important to ensure pregnancy labeling is added to kratom products.
“Mothers who are chemically dependent and are pregnant, getting off that chemical maybe use kratom as a transition [drug]. And what had happened was, we were getting stories of babies being born, being put into the NICU, and the NICU doctors trying to figure out what addiction this baby is born with, and it turns out it was kratom. This has happened several times in South Dakota, in Sioux Falls When a baby is born addicted to kratom, it’s just like they would be addicted to heroine,” Mulder said.
The bill also bans manufacturers from adding synthetic products to kratom.
Mulder said banning the product is not a realistic option because it would still be available to the public online.
The bill next heads to the Senate.
