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H 7518Drugs

Food and Drugs - The Rhode Island Kratom Act

This bill mandates that kratom be stored in locked cases behind counters and requires ID checks to verify buyers are twenty-one.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 6, 2026Committee House Corporations

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the Rhode Island Kratom Act to establish stricter regulations on the sale of kratom products. It explicitly prohibits the sale, distribution, or advertisement of kratom to anyone under the age of twenty-one. To enforce this, the bill mandates that all kratom products must be stored behind the sales counter and within a locked case accessible only to employees. Additionally, retailers are required to verify the age of every purchaser by checking valid government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license or passport.

For younger readers

This law changes the rules for stores that sell a product called kratom. It says that only adults who are twenty-one years old or older are allowed to buy it. To keep kids safe, the stores must keep the kratom locked inside a glass case behind the counter. Only the people working at the store can open the case. Also, the worker must look at the buyer's photo ID card to make sure they are really old enough before selling it to them.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Kratom consumersConvenience store ownersSmoke shop ownersRetail employeesYoung adults (ages 18-20)
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Protects public health and the well-being of youth by strictly enforcing age restrictions on a psychoactive substance, preventing access by minors.
  • Reduces the likelihood of accidental ingestion or theft of the substance by mandating secure storage behind counters in locked cases.
  • Standardizes verification practices to ensure that sales are conducted responsibly, reducing the potential for unregulated distribution in vulnerable communities.
  • Creates barriers to access for marginalized individuals who may rely on kratom as a harm-reduction alternative to opioids but lack valid government-issued identification.
  • Increases the regulatory burden on small business owners, potentially leading to increased police interaction or fines for minor compliance failures.
  • Potentially stigmatizes a substance that some communities use for pain management by treating it with high-security protocols similar to dangerous controlled substances.
For Conservatives
  • Strengthens the protection of children and young adults by raising the purchasing age to twenty-one and strictly prohibiting sales to minors.
  • Implements strict order and security measures in retail environments by requiring products to be locked away, reducing shoplifting and unauthorized access.
  • Empowers the state to enforce clear boundaries on substance use, aligning with traditional values of maintaining public order and safety.
  • Imposes excessive government overreach on private businesses by dictating exact storage methods and floor plan logistics (locked cases behind counters).
  • Infringes on the personal freedom of adult consumers by mandating identification checks for every purchase, treating law-abiding citizens with suspicion.
  • Increases operational costs and red tape for small business owners who must purchase specific security equipment to comply with state mandates.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 4 additions

SECTION 1. Section 21-28.12-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 21-28.12 entitled "The Rhode Island Kratom Act [Effective April 1, 2026.]" is hereby amended to read as follows: 21-28.12-4. Age limits and sales restrictions. [Effective April 1, 2026.]

(a) No person or entity shall distribute, sell, transfer, or advertise a kratom product to a person under twenty-one (21) years.

(b) All kratom products shall be kept behind the sales counter and within a locked case, which case would only accessible to store employees until the kratom product is sold.

(c) The sale or distribution of kratom or kratom products to individuals under the age of twenty-one (21) is prohibited.

(d) Valid photo identification for proof of age is required for all kratom and kratom product purchases. Acceptable forms of government-issued identification shall include a recent photo of the individual to whom the identification has been issued showing the date of birth of the individual to verify the individual is age twenty-one (21) years or over. Acceptable forms of government- issued identification are: a valid motor vehicle operator’s license issued by the state of Rhode Island or another state; a valid driver privilege card issued by the state of Rhode Island or another state; a valid Rhode Island identification card issued by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles; a valid armed services identification card; or a valid passport.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect April 1, 2026.