Kratom In Arkansas – Is It Legal To Use In The Natural State?

Suppose you live in “the natural state”, formerly known as “the land of opportunity,” or planning to travel to the place. In that case, you must be wondering about the legality status of Kratom in Arkansas. 

Arkansas is one of the most populous and most significant states in the United States of America. Surrounded by the beautiful mountains of Ozark and Ouachita, containing the dense Greenlands known as Arkansas Timberland, and lying along the banks of the Mississippi River, this state is filled with marvels of picturesque natural geography. 

It is the only state in the US with a working diamond mine that allows people to mine their diamonds to take home.

Is Kratom Legal To Use In Arkansas?

As people worldwide are starting to incline more toward herbal remedies, Kratom’s fame is spreading like wildfire. Kratom in Arkansas is also the talk of the town, but not in a good way. 

Why? 

Because unfortunately, you can not buy, possess, or sell this beneficial botanical in Arkansas.

Although Kratom is entirely legal under federal law, several states have put forward their laws and imposed restrictions on this botanical on a state level.

The legislation restricting this herbal usage differs from state to state and even within a state; for example, Florida has not banned the herb, but Sarasota County has made it illegal to use Ketum since 2014. These changing legislations make it challenging to ascertain the legality of this botanical in any particular locality, affecting the users adversely. 

Nevertheless, this is not the case here. Kratom in Arkansas is completely illegal without any exceptions. You can not manufacture, possess, and even sell or purchase the herb without getting charged with some serious criminal charges. The ban was put forward in October 2015 when two of the main alkaloids of this botanical, Mitragynine and 7-HydroxyMitragynine, were placed on the list of schedule 1 substances alongside Meth and Cocaine. 

Let us take a look at the ban on Kratom in Arkansas in-depth!

Ban On Kratom In Arkansas 

This unique Southeast Asian plant has been fighting the legal battle for many years on the federal and state levels. The Federal Drug Authority and Drug Enforcement Agency are always on the lookout to ban Ketum. 

In 2016, federal authorities -mainly DEA, pushed to add Kratom to the list of schedule 1 substances like LSD, heroin, and cocaine. However, the public outrage supported by Kratom advocates -significantly, American Kratom Association– helped delay this ban indefinitely. 

However, in October 2015, the state of Arkansas paid heed to the FDA’s and DEA’s warnings and scheduled this herb. The director of the health department, Bear State, pushed for the ban and added Kratom to the schedule 1 controlled substances list.

Some amendments were also made to the list of controlled substances in Feb 2016. Instead of Kratom as a whole, they included its alkaloids, namely Mitragynine and 7-HydroxyMitragynine, as Schedule 1 substances. 

This whole ban was put in motion thanks to a doctor of Arkansas’ Health Department, Dr. Thomas Atkinson, who witnessed some of his patients suffering from side effects at his Addiction Treatment Center. According to him, this botanical showed opiate agonist action and was an opium derivative. 

What Are The Criminal Charges For Using Kratom In Arkansas?

The state of Arkansas has put Kratom on the list of schedule 1 controlled substances. Schedule 1 drugs are considered those that have the highest chances of causing dependence and offer no health uses. 

If you possess this herb in the state borders, you can be liable to some harsh penalties that are usually referred to as offense classes according to the state laws. Concerning Ketum, the penalties are according to the amount of the herb found in possession. 

If you are found to violate the ban on Kratom in Arkansas, you can be criminally charged as the following:

● If you possess less than 2 grams of Korth, you will be punished with a class D felony. It means you will be liable for a fine of up to $10,000 and punishable by up to 6 years in prison. 

● For the possession of 2 to 28 grams of this botanical, you will be committing a class C felony -meaning that you can be charged with a fine up to $10,000 and 3 to 10 years in prison.

● If you are found handling more than 28 grams of Ketum, it can result in a class B felony. It has more severe consequences, including fines of up to $15,000 and 5 to 20 years of prison. 

● In addition to the above penalties, if you are arrested for keeping the herb on yourself within 1000 feet of certain facilities of importance like religious places of worship, educational institutions like schools and universities, bus stops, parks, play areas, and whatnot, you can be liable to additional ten years of prison.

What Do The Citizens Of Arkansas Say?

Ever since the ban, the 8 million people in the state cannot use Ketum for various health benefits. Several seizures have also been conducted all over the state -including Sebastian County and Crawford County.

Kratom has been famous for improving the overall quality of life in the masses. However, no doubt that by making this botanical illegal, the people of Arkansas seem to be suffering beyond measure. Several accounts of citizens have shared their dismay at the ban on Kratom in Arkansas.

Connor, 20 years old, suffering from an Anxiety disorder, found solace in Ketum for some time. However, he was arrested with some residue of herbal powder in a water bottle and put in lockup on criminal charges. Since then, he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorder.

Another 40-year-old, Ginny, who has fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and some other conditions, found some relief from her painful condition with the help of Kratom before shifting to Arkansas. However, due to the ban in the state, she is coping hard without the herb.

What Does The Future Hold For Kratom In Arkansas?

Ketum has been threatened to be made illegal since federal agencies started putting the herb under scrutiny for any adverse effects. This has resulted in misleading information regarding this all-natural plant and created propaganda. However, Kratom advocates are on the lookout to support this herbal use, as it has been improving users’ quality of life all over America. 

Although it is difficult to overturn any state ruling or legislation, public disapproval through petitions and movements can make anything possible. These laws are made for the benefit of the citizens, and if the government bodies realize that the legislations are not proving their worth, you might be able to initiate a change. 

Moreover, the American Kratom Association and its team of scientific researchers and activists are always on the front line to defend this beneficial botanical. 

You can also join in to make your voice heard by contacting your government representative to support this tremendous Southeast Asian plant. We must urge the government to conduct more studies on Kratom in Arkansas to understand better its mechanism of action and pharmaceutical reactions with different substances. 

Conclusion 

As we have already discussed, Kratom is not legal to use, trade, or possess in Arkansas. There are no exceptions to this rule, and failure to abide by the law can have serious repercussions. You can be punished with a fine of up to $15,000 and prison time of up to 30 years. 

Although there is a very low possibility that this legislation will be changed shortly, we can still hope and try working for a better future for Kratom in Arkansas. 

f you are traveling to any other state where Kratom is legal, you can try out these online vendors that are the most authentic ones out there: 

1) Socratic Solutions Kratom

2) Pure Leaf Kratom

3) Amazing Botanicals

4) Super Natural Botanicals

5) Golden Monk