Rhode Island reversed its kratom ban

For years, Rhode Island was one of the handful of states where kratom was completely prohibited — mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine were listed as Schedule I controlled substances in 2017, making possession, sale, and distribution illegal statewide. That changed in 2026.

The Rhode Island Kratom Act (H 5565A / S 0792A) was signed into law on July 2, 2025 and took effect on April 1, 2026. It repealed the Schedule I prohibition and replaced it with a regulated, licensed market — making Rhode Island the most recent U.S. state to reverse a kratom prohibition rather than tighten one.

What the Rhode Island Kratom Act requires

Rhode Island did not simply de-schedule kratom; it built a consumer-protection framework around it. Under the Act:

  • Only registered retailers may sell kratom in the state.
  • Purchasers must be 21 or older.
  • 7-hydroxymitragynine is capped at 1% of total alkaloids.
  • Each serving is limited to 150 mg of mitragynine.
  • Synthetic alkaloids are prohibited — natural leaf only.
  • Kratom sales carry a 15% excise tax.

These rules put a premium on transparent lab testing. A compliant product has to be able to prove its 7-OH percentage and mitragynine content — which is why a published Certificate of Analysis is the single most useful document for a Rhode Island buyer.

Buying kratom in Rhode Island

Rhode Island permits regulated sales to adults 21 and older. Check current retailer-registration, shipping-policy, and checkout requirements before ordering. 4 Leaf Herbals publishes selected product- and batch-specific reports on its Lab Results page; match the product and lot or batch identifier and review the analytes shown in that report.

For broader context

See our national kratom legality map for the full state-by-state picture, our Kratom Consumer Protection Act explainer for how state regulation typically works, and our FDA regulatory guide for the federal backdrop.