Commentary: Kratom is an important tool for harm reduction, and regulation will protect access |
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Last month, the state Legislature passed two bills to regulate kratom and 7-OH, plant-derived substances that are already helping many New Yorkers manage chronic pain or recover from addiction. The bills set age requirements for purchase and ban misleading labels that put consumers at risk.
These measures will crack down on bad actors who exploited the lack of oversight, while safeguarding access for people who rely on these products. Gov. Kathy Hochul should sign them into law without delay so that New York can become a national leader in harm reduction.
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If these bills are signed, the state will begin treating kratom and 7-OH as consumer goods that warrant regulation, not prohibition. That’s long-overdue progress, and it comes at a critical moment. In 2023 alone, more than........