Is Kratom Legal in Alabama?

Alabama outlawed kratom (*Mitragyna speciosa*) through Senate Bill 226, passed in 2016. The law amended Section 13A-12-231 of the Code of Alabama, adding mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine — the two main active compounds in kratom — to the state's Schedule I list of controlled substances. Schedule I is reserved for substances the state considers to have a high potential for abuse and no recognized medical use. Because the law names both key alkaloids specifically, the ban isn't limited to one type of product. It covers raw leaf, powder, capsules, and extracts alike. There's no carve-out for personal use or any other exception. Lawmakers introduced SB 226 during the 2016 session after law enforcement and some public health officials raised concerns about the substance. Kratom users and advocacy groups testified against the bill, but the legislature opted for an outright ban instead of building a regulatory system around it. That decision put Alabama at odds with a broader trend among nearby states. Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi have all passed versions of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), which sets rules around labeling, product safety, and age limits rather than banning the substance outright. Florida's version, enacted through HB 179, took effect July 1, 2023. Alabama has not moved in that direction. Alabama isn't alone in banning kratom — Arkansas, Indiana, Vermont, and Wisconsin also prohibit it, and Louisiana added its own ban in 2025 through SB 154, with Connecticut and Kansas following in 2026. But bans aren't necessarily permanent: Rhode Island reversed its prohibition in July 2025. No similar reversal effort has gained traction in Alabama so far.

Because kratom's alkaloids sit on Alabama's Schedule I list, the penalties are the same as those for other serious drug offenses:

• **Simple possession** can be charged as a Class C felony — 1 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $15,000.
• **Possession with intent to distribute** can bring Class B felony charges, with 2 to 20 years in prison and steep fines.
• **Trafficking** charges, depending on quantity, can carry mandatory minimum sentences on top of additional fines.

This isn't just a law on paper. Alabama law enforcement has arrested people for kratom possession, and some have faced felony charges over it. Anyone driving through the state should know that even a small amount — including residue in an empty container — can lead to criminal charges.

Kratom sales are not permitted in Alabama, and legitimate vendors won't ship product into the state. If you're looking to buy kratom legally, you'll need to do so in a state where it's allowed — bringing it back into Alabama would still violate state law.

As of this update, no bill to reverse or amend Alabama's kratom ban is moving through the legislature. Nothing has been introduced to remove mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine from Schedule I or to swap the ban for a regulatory model like the KCPA. That said, the American Kratom Association has named Alabama a priority target for future reform efforts. Rhode Island's reversal in 2025 shows that a ban isn't necessarily the final word, and with more than 18 states now operating under some version of the KCPA, the national trend is leaning toward regulation rather than prohibition. Whether Alabama follows that path remains to be seen.

Anyone near Alabama's borders should know that legal status changes quickly once you cross a state line:

• **Florida** — Legal, with KCPA protections; must be 21 or older. Took effect July 1, 2023, under HB 179.
• **Georgia** — Legal, with KCPA protections; must be 18 or older. One of the earliest states to adopt the KCPA, back in 2019.
• **Tennessee** — Legal, with KCPA protections; must be 21 or older.
• **Mississippi** — Legal statewide, with KCPA protections.

Legal in a neighboring state doesn't mean legal to bring into Alabama — crossing the border with kratom still exposes you to Alabama's possession laws.