The Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) has been working with the Nebraska legislature since early 2024 in support of Nebraska’s Legislative Bill 230, the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, introduced by State Senator Bob Hallstrom (District 1, Lincoln-NE). This proposed legislation aims to establish common-sense regulations that will enhance consumer safety and promote responsible manufacturing, marketing, and sale of kratom products in Nebraska.
Among the bill’s key provisions are measures designed to protect consumers, including prohibiting the marketing of kratom products designed to appeal to children, prohibiting the sale of kratom products to individuals under 21 years of age, and requiring product labeling that discourages use by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
One of the most important regulations in LB 230 ensures that any level of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7OH) does not exceed 2% of the overall alkaloid composition of the product. This safeguard effectively eliminates the risk associated with synthesized high-potency isolate 7OH products (known as “7”) that are proliferating across the state.
Unlike natural-leaf kratom products, synthesized products like “7” contain eight unknown compounds and 100 times more 7OH than true kratom products. These new, untested products have no scientific data to support their use. They are being marketed as a cure for the opioid crisis when in fact they are fueling their own addiction and health crises through their unfettered access across the nation.
Organizations such as the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust (HART) are attempting to either kill kratom regulations bills or strike out core consumer safety provisions that protect consumers from these dangerous synthetic products. They have no data to support their position and contradict opinions expressed by the leading kratom scientists in the US who say "7" products should not be considered kratom. Proponents of "7" are not making factual or credible claims about the safety and efficacy of these products.
HART’s aim to promote "7" products comes at the risk of consumers. During a press event held by HART in October 2024, panel members advocated for the regulation of 7OH products as if they were natural kratom, making unapproved new drug claims.
“When organizations like HART make unapproved claims that 7OH products are intended for pain relief or opioid use disorder, they are promoting these products as drugs as defined by the FDA,” said Matthew Lowe, Executive Director of the Global Kratom Coalition. “Without prior FDA approval, such products are unlawful to sell.”
The Global Kratom Coalition has been actively involved in encouraging the development of LB 230 since its introduction on January 14, 2025, working alongside stakeholders to ensure that consumers have access to safe, natural kratom products and are protected from dangerous synthesized alternatives.
“Our goal is to support legislation that empowers consumers to make informed decisions while maintaining continued access to responsibly manufactured kratom products,” Lowe added. “Nebraska’s Kratom Consumer Protection Act is a significant step forward in achieving those goals.”
The Global Kratom Coalition urges lawmakers and stakeholders to support LB 230 and reject any attempts to weaken the bill’s vital protections for consumers.
About the Global Kratom Coalition
The Global Kratom Coalition is an alliance of kratom consumers, experts, and industry leaders dedicated to protecting access to kratom while advancing scientific research, driving consumer education, and developing robust regulations to protect consumers. For more information, visit https://globalkratomcoalition.org.
