A bill to make synthetic kratom illegal passed the NJ Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.
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The bill S 301 would classify the synthetic kratom compound 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as a Schedule I controlled drug in New Jersey.
It passed the Health Committee unanimously 8-0.
NJ Senate President Pro Tempore Shirley K. Turner (D-15-Mercer/Hunterdon) introduced it.
When someone is “President Pro Tempore,” they don’t usually run that legislative body.
The NJ Senate is run by NJ Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22-Union). Heady NJ heard from home cannabis gardening legalization advocates who said that Health Committee Chair Joe Vitale (D-17-Middlesex) isn’t allowed by Scutari to hold a hearing on allowing cannabis gardening in the Garden State.
Kratom, like cannabis, is a poorly understood natural plant that has health benefits.
Synthetic Kratom Restrictions Bill
S-30 would add 7-OH to Schedule I of the New Jersey Controlled Dangerous Substances Act, making it illegal
According to the NJ Democratic Senate Office, “7-OH is the primary psychoactive compound associated with kratom products and has been linked to powerful opioid-like effects that can pose serious public health risks and contribute to addiction.”
“New Jersey continues to battle an opioid addiction crisis that has taken a devastating toll on families and communities,” said Turner. “We are now seeing highly concentrated kratom compounds like 7-hydroxymitragynine, sometimes referred to as ‘gas station heroin,’ being sold with little oversight despite their powerful opioid-like effects.”
It’s amusing that they want to make kratom seem like it’s heroin when kratom helps cope with heroin addiction.
Under the bill, manufacturing, distributing, or possessing with the intent to distribute 7-OH would carry criminal penalties. Offenses involving 1 ounce or more would be a second-degree crime. Offenses involving less than 1 ounce would constitute a third-degree crime.
Notably, Turner is the only sponsor. It also does not have the companion bill in the Assembly necessary for it to be signed into law by Governor Mikie Sherrill (D).
Turner also introduced an anti-synthetic kratom bill in the last session of the legislature, which had no other sponsors.
Bills signed into law usually have several sponsors.
Turner is also among the sponsors of a bill by Senator Troy Singleton (D-7-Burlington) to legalize medical cannabis home gardening.
Kratom Concerns and Witch Hunts in the NJ Legislature
Two very similar bills with the same name tried to end the legal kratom business and made some progress in the last session of the NJ Legislature, which ended in January.
A 3797 and A 5129 were both called “CJ’s Law” in the same session of the legislature!
They were named “CJ’s Law” after a 33 year old that died allegedly due to kratom.
A 3797 passed the Assembly State and Local Government Committee in June 2024.
It was sponsored by Assemblymembers Sean Kean (R-30-Ocean), Jessica Ramirez (D-32-Hudson), Will Sampson IV (D-31-Hudson), Gregory McGuckin (R-10-Ocean), Robert Karabinchak (D-18-Middlesex), and Paul Kanitra (R-10-Monmouth).
Its companion bill was S3359 sponsored by Robert Singer (R-30-Ocean), James Holzapfel (R-10-Monmouth), and Paul Moriarity (D-4-Gloucester). It did not pass any committees.
But it was reintroduced as S829 in the current session of the NJ legislature. State Senator Kristen Corrado (R-40-Passaic) is also sponsoring it now.
The A 5129 sponsors Ramriez and Julio Marenco (D-33-Hudson) are no longer in the legislature after losing competitive primaries. But Assemblymembers Ellen Park (D-37-Bergen) and Alexander “Avi” Schnall (D-30-Ocean) won re-election. So, they reintroduced it with Shama Haider (D-37-Bergen).
In addition, its companion bill, S 3981, was sponsored by NJ Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-29-Essex) and Moriarity in the last session. They reintroduced it as S 2271 this session with Holzapfel.
So, there are still 2 different potential CJ Laws!
Ravi Bhalla, who won the 32nd District Hudson primary with Katie Brennan, signed onto another anti-kratom bill with Carol Murphy (D-7-Burlington) and Anthony Verrelli (D-15-Mercer/Hunterdon).
Unlike Turner, these legislators are not also sponsoring legalizing home cannabis gardening currently.
Stirring the Pot with a Victim
They seem to want to blame kratom for the death of CJ. But according to the bill, he had a “cardiac arrest (heart attack) caused by a mixture of drugs that included his physician-prescribed Adderol and kratom.”
According to them, “While awaiting arm surgery, CJ Holowach consumed kratom to numb his arm pain without jeopardizing his recovery from opioid addiction.”
They noted kratom was helping him cope with morphine and heroin. Those terrible substances increase the risk of heart attack, according to the American Heart Association.
Senior citizens and normies who often vote love politicians who are “tough on crime.” So, a lot of politicians pander to them. And narc cop supporters love to hate “drugs”.
