Bill > H4641

This bill, titled "Kratom," proposes significant changes to South Carolina law regarding the substance kratom. It aims to add kratom and its related compounds, including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, to Schedule I of the state's controlled substances list, which is a category for drugs with a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use. Concurrently, the bill seeks to repeal the South Carolina Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which previously established regulations for kratom processors and retailers, such as prohibiting sales to individuals under twenty-one and setting standards for product purity and labeling. The bill also amends existing provisions to make it unlawful for kratom processors or retailers to distribute or sell products that are adulterated, contain harmful non-kratom ingredients, include fully synthetic alkaloids, exceed certain residual solvent levels, or fail to meet labeling requirements, effectively replacing the previous consumer protection measures with stricter controls under the controlled substances framework.