South Carolina: H4641

Bill Summary

South Carolina H4641 proposes to add kratom to Schedule I of the state's controlled substances list, effectively criminalizing the plant, while simultaneously repealing the South Carolina Kratom Consumer Protection Act that currently regulates kratom processors and retailers. Under current law, kratom sales are permitted but regulated through age restrictions (21+), prohibitions on adulterated products, and limits on synthetic compounds and solvent levels. This bill eliminates both the regulatory framework and the legal availability of kratom in South Carolina, treating it the same as heroin and fentanyl despite lacking the scientific evidence supporting such classification.

Why It Matters to MAHA

MAHA opposes this bill because it eliminates patient autonomy and consumer choice by criminalizing an herbal product that adults currently purchase legally under established safety standards. The repeal of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act removes the transparency and quality controls that protect consumers, replacing them with a blanket prohibition that makes Natural Kratom, which has known benefits, schedule 1. By scheduling kratom as Schedule I, the state makes unsubstantiated claims about abuse potential while ignoring the actual regulatory structure that was protecting consumers and endorsed by the Secretary Kennedy-led FDA in July of 2025 surrounding Natural Kratom. This bill exemplifies exactly the kind of government overreach that restricts medical freedom—forcing consumers underground rather than maintaining transparent, regulated access to a botanical product.