Where Are Kratom, 7-OH & Cat's Claw Banned in 2026?

U.S. states where all kratom is banned

This table covers statewide controls on kratom leaf, mitragynine, or both. It does not count a state merely because it restricts concentrated 7-OH, sets an age limit, or regulates labeling.

The newest additions are Connecticut (March 25, 2026), Kansas (July 1, 2026), and Tennessee (July 1, 2026). Louisiana's prohibition took effect August 1, 2025 under Louisiana Revised Statutes § 40:966.1.

Rhode Island is not on the current ban list. Its regulated adult-use framework took effect April 1, 2026 under the Rhode Island Kratom Act. Kentucky also remains legal today: its scheduled sales prohibition is delayed until July 1, 2027, according to the current Kentucky statutes.

7-OH rules are not the same as kratom-leaf bans

7-hydroxymitragynine occurs naturally in kratom at very low levels, but high-concentration tablets, shots, and gummies are chemically and legally distinct from ordinary leaf. A rule targeting concentrated 7-OH does not automatically ban natural kratom.

Federal status on July 24, 2026

DEA announced its intent to temporarily schedule 7-OH and related substances and published the notice on July 6. The notice says a temporary order may be issued on or after August 5, 2026; until that order is published, the proposed federal scheduling is not yet effective. DEA's stated threshold is more than 0.050% 7-OH by dry weight for botanical material, or more than 0.050% or 1 milligram per article for other products. Read the Federal Register notice and DEA announcement.

Separately, FDA states that 7-OH is not a lawful ingredient in dietary supplements or conventional foods and that no FDA-approved drug contains it. FDA's warning-letter announcement explains that enforcement position.

Examples of state-level 7-OH controls

• The nine full-ban states: concentrated 7-OH is covered because kratom alkaloids or the plant are controlled.
• Ohio: schedules certain mitragynine-related compounds including 7-OH while exempting natural leaf and ground leaf, per the Ohio Board of Pharmacy notice.
• New York: prohibits sale of products exceeding its 7-OH limits, including more than 1 milligram per serving, under legislation described by the New York Senate.
• District of Columbia: controls 7-OH separately; that is not a clear blanket ban on ordinary natural leaf.

For chemistry, labeling clues, and risk differences, see our kratom versus 7-OH comparison and concentrated 7-OH guide.

Local kratom bans inside otherwise-legal states

City and county ordinances are the hardest layer to track. Known examples include San Diego, California; Sarasota County, Florida; Jerseyville, Illinois; Franklin, New Hampshire; and several Mississippi counties, including Alcorn, Itawamba, Lowndes, Monroe, Tishomingo, and Union. This list is not guaranteed to be exhaustive. Check your city and county code, not only a statewide map.

Countries where kratom is prohibited or controlled

International rules differ in scope: some schedule the plant, some schedule its alkaloids, and others prohibit sale or import without criminalizing simple possession. The examples below link to government or intergovernmental sources.

• Australia: kratom remains a Schedule 9 prohibited substance in the Poisons Standard.
• Denmark: Mitragyna speciosa appears on the official controlled-substances list.
• Japan: Mitragyna speciosa appears on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's designated-substances list.
• Malaysia: mitragynine is controlled under the Poisons Act; use the Ministry of Health's current legislation page.
• Singapore: mitragynine and 7-OH are Class A controlled drugs, according to the Central Narcotics Bureau.
• Sweden: the plant has been narcotics-classified since March 2025 under the Swedish government decision.
• United Kingdom: production, supply, import, and export are prohibited by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016; simple possession is generally treated differently except in custodial institutions.

The European Union Drugs Agency also reports kratom controls in Denmark, Estonia, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Finland, Sweden, and Turkey. Its kratom profile is useful for orientation, but travelers should confirm the destination's current customs and criminal law before departure.

Cat's claw is a different botanical

Cat's claw usually means Uncaria tomentosa, an Amazonian vine in the coffee family. Kratom is Mitragyna speciosa, a Southeast Asian tree. They are not interchangeable names, and kratom laws do not automatically apply to cat's claw.

We found no blanket U.S. federal or state controlled-substance ban on cat's claw in this review. FDA's Global Substance Registration System identifies the botanical, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health maintains a cat's claw fact sheet. That is not proof of efficacy: NCCIH says there is no conclusive scientific evidence supporting its use for any health purpose.

Before buying, shipping, or traveling

1. Identify the plant and product: natural leaf, extract, or concentrated 7-OH.
2. Check federal law, then state or provincial law, then city and county rules.
3. For travel, check every transit jurisdiction and the destination's customs rules.
4. Keep original labeling and a batch-specific certificate of analysis.
5. Recheck immediately before the transaction; emergency rules can take effect quickly.

Our broader state-by-state kratom legality hub and travel guide provide additional context. This article was last legally reviewed on July 24, 2026.