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A ban on kratom in Louisiana is now one signature from Gov. Landry from becoming law.
The House has followed the Senate’s lead in overwhelmingly voting to ban the supplement sometimes known as “gas station heroin.”
The House vote on the bill by Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, was 86-6.
Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, presented the bill in the House; she said kratom is cloaked in deception.
“Kratom companies aren’t allowed to make medical claims about their products because the herb is not an approved drug, but the vendors routinely do so,” Villio said on the House floor.
Villio says kratom is highly addictive and potentially fatal.
“We are losing our babies. We are losing our children,” said Villio. “Our convenience stores (and) our gas stations are looted with this bad, bad stuff.”
Kratom has not been approved by the FDA; in fact, the FDA has discouraged its use.
Rep. Peter Egan, R-Covington, offered up an amendment that would have allowed the sale and use of only naturally-occurring kratom.
That, along with another amendment, were voted down.
Egan argued that more than 6% of Louisiana’s population uses kratom.
“The naturally occurring leaf-based kratom is consumed by an estimated 300,000 Louisianaians,” Egan said. “I would propose to you that there’s probably somebody in this body right now that consumes it.”
Egan says when used properly, naturally occurring kratom has its benefits.
“Those that use leaf kratom want to live normal, stable lives,” Egan pointed out. “Those that use the ramped up version are addicted to drugs, and they’re satisfying an addicted need.”
The Senate vote earlier this month was 26-11.
