Since March 2018, kratom or Mitragyna speciosa is completely legal in the state of New Jersey. Kratom enthusiasts are allowed to sell, distribute, possess and use it in any quantity without worrying about any legal ramifications. But this legal status has not been without its own struggle against quite a few bills in the Senate that meant to ban it.

In May 2015, A4431 wanted to criminalize the manufacture, sale and possession of substances that contain kratom and was introduced by Assemblyman Ron Dancer. The bill wanted to criminalise kratom as it has opioid like properties but did not provide any supporting evidence towards this statement.

He also stated that as per the FDA and their scientific literature, we should be concerned about the toxicity of kratom and about its effect on the human body. But failed to clarify which scientific literature he was referring to make this statement. Such statements and claims though are not true but do have the capacity to misinform people who could find solace for their chronic pains, anxiety disorders as well as a chance to wean off them from the dangerous kinds of opioids.

It created a lot of public outcry and over a thousand people signed a petition asking the Governor of New Jersey to not approve of it. If this bill were to have been passed, any possession of kratom would have been a crime of the fourth degree which would have brought a prison sentence of 18 months, a fine of $10,000 or both. The bill did not pass in the committee as it did not reach the 25% pass percentage. It was however converted to A3281.

This carryover of the previous A4431 was tabled in February 2016. This bill was also introduced and sponsored by the Assemblyman Ron Dancer and contained the exact same wordings as the previous one. This too underwent the same thores in its deathbed of less than 25% votes and could not pass. Both these bills listed the symptoms of kratom that were humongously inaccurate and were put forth by the same politician.

In August 2016, the DEA (United States Drug Enforcement Administration) intended to place kratom into the Schedule I category thus banning its use, sale and distribution all over the United States. However after a major public backlash and outcry they withdrew their intent to place kratom in this category. They are at present trying to figure out through scientific studies the true nature of kratom.

The FDA in June 2018 cracked down hard on kratom manufacturers and sellers across the US due to a salmonella infestation of the products from a few vendors. They also reminded the consumers of kratom that a product contaminated with Salmonella can make not just the people who consume these products but also cross contaminate and expose others to it.

Later in 2018, a study conducted by a group of researchers that reviewed the abuse potential of kratom against a 8-factor analysis found kratom to be no more addictive than coffee. They also proved that it does not cause any of the serious health risks that many people refer to and also do not have the same effect on the brain as other opioids like heroin, cocaine, etc.

Ron Dancer however, again introduced the same bill to ban kratom in January 2020 in the form of A2236. But the third time lucky criteria also failed him as well as the bill to pass again.