Hawaii Status – No Bill Yet, But the Clock Is Ticking

Hawaii lawmakers did not advance a statewide kratom ban this session. That means kratom products – powders, capsules, extracts, shots – remain legally available in gas stations, vape shops, and online retailers across the islands. Meanwhile, the FDA warns that kratom has no approved medical use and is not safe as a dietary supplement. Other states have seen hospitalizations, poisonings, and deaths rise sharply.

Your job right now: Build a coalition. Document retail sales. Educate lawmakers. Recruit medical, pharmacy, and law enforcement voices. The next session starts long before the first hearing is gaveled.

What You Can Do Right Now

• Document retail sales in your community. Take photos of kratom displays in gas stations, vape shops, and stores near schools. Capture extracts, powders, shots, and any “wellness” or “intoxication” marketing. These images build a powerful record for lawmakers.
• Build local awareness. Many Hawaiians still don’t know that kratom is widely sold, that potent extracts are openly marketed, that products contain lead and hidden alcohol, and that “regulation” models are unenforceable. Share educational materials with parents, healthcare professionals, educators, local officials, and community groups.
• Recruit stakeholders. Use the list below to connect with pharmacists, physicians, nurses, addiction professionals, law enforcement, educators, and parents. Ask each organization to take a concrete action (see “what to ask” for each group).
• Follow developments in other states. Bans in states like Nevada (June 4 hearing) and failures of KCPA bills in Idaho and South Carolina provide lessons and evidence for Hawaii lawmakers.
• Prepare for the next session. Legislative action moves quickly once session begins. Build local networks, share educational materials, document retail activity, contact community leaders, and prepare testimony and evidence packets for lawmakers.

Hawaii Organizations & Stakeholders – Build the Coalition

Below are key Hawaii groups that can influence future kratom policy. For each category, we explain why they matter and what to ask when you reach out. Use the contact links to start the conversation.

Law Enforcement & Public Safety

Why they matter: No field test means no enforcement. Law enforcement can explain to legislators why any “synthetic‑only” or “potency‑based” bill is impossible to police.

What to ask: “Will you support a full ban on all kratom products? Can you testify that the absence of a field test makes any regulatory bill unenforceable?”

Pharmacy & Toxicology

Why they matter: Pharmacists and the Board of Pharmacy have regulatory authority and toxicology expertise. They can document poisonings and support scheduling kratom as a controlled substance.

What to ask: “Will the Board of Pharmacy consider scheduling kratom? Can you provide aggregate data on kratom exposures, hospitalizations, or deaths in Hawaii?”

Medical & Hospital Associations

Why they matter: Emergency physicians, family doctors, and addiction specialists see kratom’s harms firsthand. Their public statements can turn the tide.

What to ask: “Will your organization issue a public statement supporting a full statewide ban on kratom? Will you share data on kratom‑related ER visits or poisonings?”

Addiction & Human Services

Why they matter: Addiction professionals see the long‑term harm of kratom dependence – withdrawal, failed treatment attempts, and relapse. They can testify to the addictive nature of mitragynine.

What to ask: “Will you support a statewide ban and provide testimony or written comments about the burden of kratom addiction on your programs?”

State Health Leadership

Prepare Messages for Next Session

While no bill is active now, you can still reach out to state representatives and senators to plant the seed for a full ban. Use the template below to educate them about the dangers and the failure of “regulation” bills elsewhere.

Call Script for Stakeholder Outreach