Kansas Senate Blocks Marijuana, Kratom Amendments, Advances Kratom Ban
Two floor amendments to liberalize drug laws were defeated by wide margins before the kratom scheduling bill moved forward
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Senate on Wednesday rejected two amendments that would have relaxed state drug laws, then advanced a bill to add kratom to the state's list of Schedule I controlled substances. Both amendments fell by lopsided margins during floor debate on Senate Bill 497.
Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Johnson County, offered the first amendment, which would have removed criminal penalties for possessing a personal-use quantity of marijuana. The Senate defeated it 9-30. Minutes later, senators rejected a second amendment from Sen. Silas Miller, D-Sedgwick County, on a 7-32 vote. Miller's proposal would have created a "kratom consumer protection act," establishing a regulatory framework for the substance rather than banning it outright.
Kratom is a plant-based substance derived from a Southeast Asian tree. It produces opioid-like effects and has been used by some as a pain management alternative, though federal health agencies have raised concerns about its safety and addiction potential. Supporters of regulation argued oversight was preferable to an outright ban; opponents said its risks warranted the Schedule I classification.
The vote totals reflect a Senate majority firmly opposed to both marijuana decriminalization and a regulated kratom market. The unamended SB 497 was advanced by the Committee of the Whole, a procedural step required before the full Senate can take a final floor vote on the measure.
If SB 497 passes the full Senate, it would move to the House for consideration. Placing kratom on the Schedule I list would make its possession and distribution a criminal offense under Kansas law.
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