Is Kratom Legal in Washington State?

Despite the fact that Washington State legislators have not rushed to ban Kratom, as it happened in the case of Wisconsin or Indiana, the local public opinion is still very much divided on the topic. In 2018, a salmonella outbreak in Washington was linked to contaminated Kratom products. As such, consumers should be weary of purchasing Kratom from shops in Washington State.

Is Kratom Legal in Washington State in 2019?

Although the FDA and the local Washington State Department of Health warned consumers about Kratom in general, resident advocates, as well as the American Kratom Association (AKA) were quick to point out that the plant itself cannot be blamed for the salmonella outbreak in 2018. Thanks to consumers who organized informational rallies, citizens living in Washington had the chance to hear actually informed opinions about Kratom products.

As an infection, salmonella is caused by the improper handling of edible products. It can come from improperly cleansed animal products or similarly handled fruits and vegetables. In this case, since there are no Washington laws related to the merchandising of Kratom, vendors likely did not bother to test their batches for safety or quality purposes. Should the plant be banned in the future, opportunities to test and verify its medical use will be scarce, at best. 

If past experience is any indication, banning Kratom only leads to an increase in dangerous, black market activity. Furthermore, this herb was shown to be helpful in aiding withdrawal, as well as people who suffer from chronic pain. Unlike prescribed medication, Kratom is an organic plant that has none of the side-effects of OTC drugs.

Can You Buy Kratom in Washington State?

You can legally consume, buy, or sell Kratom in Washington State. There is no explicit legislation pertaining to Kratom as of yet. However, this is not necessarily a good thing. As the salmonella outbreak has shown in 2018, local head and smoke shops where you can buy Kratom are less preoccupied by the safety of their powder and more interested in making a profit from it.

Some Kratom vendors go as far as to cut Kratom with synthetic drugs as a way to keep their clients loyal to their products. To avoid consuming adulterated or improperly handled Kratom powder, your best bet is to order it online, from certified websites. Merchants like The Golden Monk regularly test their Kratom products for both safety and purity reasons.