Florida, aka. the Sunshine State is the 4th most populous state in the US, with little more than 21 million residents. It is the US’s southernmost state, and it is home to Disney World, the state’s most famous tourist attraction. It is also home to Key West, the United States’ southernmost point, and St. Augustine, its oldest continuously inhabited city. Many people wonder ‘is Kratom legal in Florida?
By land area, Jacksonville is the biggest city in the United States. Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and St. Petersburg are among the other notable cities.
Florida has various unique legislation, such as requiring a skateboarding license. Singing while merely wearing a bikini and falling asleep under a hairdryer at a hair salon is prohibited. In Miami Beach, it is likewise unlawful to sell oranges on the sidewalk. Do any of these ridiculous Florida laws relate to this product? Or is Mitragyna Speciosa permitted in Florida? Let us have a look.
What Is The Legality Status Of This Product In Florida?
Except for Sarasota County, this product is legal in Florida. In 2014, it decided to prohibit this product, classifying it as a designer drug. Anti-Kratom activists and politicians submitted other measures. They did not pass, however, or they did not make it past the committee. Attempts to control this product have likewise been unsuccessful.
After the authorities approved a statute on designer drugs, Sarasota County enacted a Kratom prohibition. Designer drugs unlawfully produce medications that intend to replicate the effects and chemical makeup of listed narcotics, according to the DEA. Designer drugs include Flakka, bath salts (synthetic Cathinones), and spice (synthetic cannabinoids). Consequently, possessing this product may land you in prison for up to 60 days or a fine of $500
According to the bill, Kratom has hallucinogenic properties. It also points out that this product is outlawed in Malaysia and Myanmar and was formerly illegal in Thailand. While Mitragyna Speciosa was unlawful in Thailand during the bill’s introduction, it is now legal.
This factor is also a misrepresentation of this product, similar to the legal position in San Jose, California. That even characterizes this product as a botanical drug, although designer drugs are synthetic compounds, according to the definition.
Ian Mautner and Kratom
In addition to this bill, two more measures to prohibit Kratom arose in Broward County in 2016. None of them, however, were successful. A mother was the driving force behind these two measures. Ian Mautner, she alleged, committed suicide as a result of his addiction. Ian Mautner, a 20-year-old male, has used this product since he was 17 at a local kava bar. He went to an overpass bridge, parked his vehicle, and then leaped. Later, investigators found multiple packets of this product in his car, both opened and unopened.
This tale is even in A Leaf of Faith, a prominent Kratom documentary. Ian had been on Citalopram for a while. It is an anti-depressant that may make some individuals feel suicidal. According to autopsy results, Ian’s blood contained prescription anti-depressants in addition to this product. He was also on Trazodone, which is an anti-depressant. It is not a bright idea to mix Trazodone and Citalopram.
According to proponents of this product, this view is a misrepresentation of the herb. Because anti-depressants have a lengthy list of undesirable side effects, Ian’s mother blamed this product. Ian’s mother may have become the scapegoat for his death if this is the case. According to internet accounts, his mother had booted him out because of his sexual orientation before committing himself. He finally became homeless as a consequence of this.
In 2017, two other pieces of legislation came into the picture. They wanted to add this product to the list of controlled substances. Both were, however, indefinitely postponed or withdrawn from consideration by the authorities.
The legality of this product in St. Johns County, Florida
In April 2019, there was an attempt to ban this product in St. Johns County. However, after 19 speakers spoke in favor of this product’s medicinal benefits, the Commissioners unanimously decided to postpone any legislation. So, this product is still legal in Florida’s St. Johns County.
Efforts in Florida to Regulate kratom
Senator Bobby Powell, a Democrat, presented the Florida Kratom Consumer Protection Act in March 2021 to regulate this product (KCPA). This law aimed to make this product legal and controlled in Florida. The following are some vital points covered in the bill:
- To sell Kratom products at retail, you must first register with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
- Individuals under 21 cannot legally purchase these products.
- No goods containing synthetic alkaloids or other Kratom derivatives should be available for sale.
- Prohibit items that include hazardous, toxic, or restricted compounds that might change the qualities of Kratom and put the customer at risk.
- Only sell Kratom with a composition of less than 2% 7-hydroxy mitragynine.
- Sell Kratom goods with dosing directions on the labeling.
- Pay a fine of up to $500 for their first violation and $1000 for future crimes.
The sponsor has also submitted an extra measure. A proposal stated that Florida Kratom merchants pay the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services a $500 yearly registration charge.
Both proposals, however, died in April 2021. Except for Sarasota County, this product is still legal in Florida.
The Florida KCPA came into force in 2022 as part of a more significant push to control Kratom sales and possession. Senator Joe Gruters of Sarasota County, a Republican, supported the measure. According to the senator, such laws would make it safer for Floridians to acquire this product. He says it is vital for purchasers to avoid tainted Kratom since safety concerns emerge.
The new rules would also make it easier for the state to prosecute retailers that engage in unethical business activities or sell tainted Kratom. Eliminating hostile actors, according to Gruters, would prevent them from transforming the factory into something it is not.
If the KCPA passes, the senator is unsure about the future of this product in Sarasota County. He believes, however, that it would override and overturn the prohibition. Research has already produced some promising findings, demonstrating that Kratom’s therapeutic properties may help persons suffering from opiate addiction. Consequently, this research contributes to our understanding of Kratom’s health benefits.
Conclusion
Kratom is allowed in all counties except Sarasota. You can buy it at a variety of locations around Florida. Smoke and vape stores are among them. Experts suggest purchasing this product online from reputable suppliers who test it in a lab. Online retailers are a prominent option if you want fresh, high-quality pontianak red horn at a reasonable price.
