New law bans kratom sales to minors in South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – A bill passed in the South Carolina State House could affect stores by regulating the sale of a specific, herbal supplements around the state.

Kratom is a psychoactive herb which is said to help with extreme pain, energy deficiency, and mood lifting. It can sometimes be sold in pill form, but it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The new law bans the sale of products containing the supplement Kratom to anyone under the age of 21.

It would also make sure all Kratom products have clear labels, including where they’re made and what’s inside.

“There needed to be some, some guardrails around the use of kratom in the way it was marketed and the way it was sold, ” said the bill’s sponsor, Senator Russell Ott (D – Calhoun).

Retailers who violate the regulations would face fines up to $1,000 for a first offense, and up to $2,000 for repeat violations.

Ott said he thinks there will be additional legislation discussed in 2026, and that it wasn’t plausible this year to look at an outright ban.

“Whether it’s the age restriction or different types of synthesized outcomes that are derived from the kratom plant,” Ott said. “I don’t know, but I don’t think that this would be the end all, be all for the use of this product in the future.”

Representative Don Chapman (R – Anderson) has been working on a bill of his own that relates to Kratom for several years. Chapman and Ott worked collaboratively on this bi-partisan legislation.

“I think protecting our youth is very important, and the fact that this product could be purchased in a convenience store or a smoke shop from somebody underage, was just unacceptable,” said Chapman.

Chapman said another reason this is important is because if Kratom is not used properly, people could become dependent.

“It’s one thing for an adult to make that decision, on whether or not they’re going to use something,” said Ott. “I just think that the way it was, it was heavily marketed . I just don’t want to see our kids thinking that this is something that they have no concerns about.”

South Carolina is now with at least six other states who have made very similar laws on the drug.