Kratom — an herbal painkiller — could become legal again in Indiana

A plant substance touted as a natural painkiller, “energy booster” and even a treatment for opioid withdrawal could once again become legal in Indiana under a bill advancing through the state legislature.

House Bill 1500, authored by Rep. Alan Morrison, R-Terre Haute, would permit the sale of kratom, an herbal extract derived from the leaves of a tropical evergreen tree. The plant is native to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.

Kratom was legal in Indiana until 2014, when state lawmakers banned the substance in anticipation of similar action at the federal level. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has failed to outlaw kratom, despite numerous attempts.

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