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Puerto Rico is an unincorporated U.S. territory rather than a state. But it still has a legislature that can diverge from the federal government on various issues. Is kratom legal in Puerto Rico? Let's find out.
Yes, kratom is legal in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico! As of February 2023, the territory has no existing or pending kratom laws, which means the substance is fully accessible to its citizens. Puerto Rico does not currently regulate kratom.
Do Puerto Rican legislators have an opinion on kratom? Is future regulation or prohibition a possibility? Where can you purchase premium-grade kratom in Puerto Rico? Keep reading to find out all this and more!
Is Kratom Legal in Puerto Rico?
Yes, kratom is legal, unrestricted, and unregulated on the Island of Enchantment. The Puerto Rico Controlled Substances Act does not mention Mitragyna speciosa or any kratom compounds. Places that ban kratom do so by criminalizing the herb, its key alkaloids, or both.
Puerto Rico consists of 78 second-level administrative divisions known as municipalities. In theory, these regions could ban kratom via ordinances, as has happened in other parts of the United States. No Puerto Rico municipality has done this, so kratom is legal everywhere on the island.
Not every Caribbean island shares the same permissive stance on kratom. For example, the nearby British Virgin Islands is a United Kingdom Overseas Territory. Kratom is illegal in the United Kingdom and therefore banned in the British Virgin Islands.
Check the relevant local laws before visiting if you plan on traveling around the Caribbean with kratom.
History of Kratom Law in Puerto Rico
Since Puerto Rico is not a U.S. state, you could be forgiven for thinking that federal law automatically applies. But the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico could take action on kratom if it wanted to. Thankfully, no lawmakers have worked to pass anti-kratom legislation.
It seems like Puerto Rico doesn’t think much about kratom. The substance rarely pops up in local news media, and the island has shown no desire to prohibit, regulate, or study it.
Puerto Rico Kratom Consumer Protection Act
With a population of more than 3.2 million, Puerto Rico likely has tens of thousands of kratom users. At present, these consumers have no choice but to shop in an unregulated industry. These “Wild West” markets are littered with brands of questionable quality.
But kratom’s advocates have a solution: the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA)! The KCPA has numerous regulations relating to minimum age requirements, product labeling, and kratom purity.
These regulations protect kratom consumers by ensuring the substance stays legal while keeping dangerous products off the market. It is already working in states like Georgia and Utah, and others (including Colorado) are discussing how to best introduce the KCPA.
So, could kratom regulation come to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico? Maybe, but I do not anticipate it happening shortly. History suggests kratom is not a legislative priority in Puerto Rico, which implies the KCPA is unlikely to pass soon for two reasons:
It is improbable, but not impossible that a lawmaker will sponsor a bill to pass the KCPA
Advocacy groups, such as the American Kratom Association (AKA), prioritize getting the KCPA through in states where kratom is banned (or at risk of being banned)
But if you are a passionate kratom user in Puerto Rico, why not contact your local representative and explain why regulation would benefit the island?
Will Kratom Remain Legal in Puerto Rico?
Most likely! Nothing points toward Puerto Rico banning kratom. Legislators did not panic about kratom when the federal government and several states did during the mid-2010s. And with no efforts to pass kratom laws since then, it is hard to see where a legal threat would come from.
Sure, things can change, and if kratom hits the headlines in Puerto Rico for the wrong reasons, lawmakers might take a dim view. But this is worst-case scenario thinking and extremely unlikely. It is another argument for passing the KCPA on the Island of Enchantment!
Will the Federal Government Ban Kratom?
The federal government is a more realistic threat to legal kratom in Puerto Rico. Indeed, in August 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intended to temporarily classify kratom’s two primary alkaloids as Schedule I drugs.
The DEA backtracked soon after due to fierce public backlash. But nearly seven years later, it still officially considers kratom a drug of concern. Even so, I don’t foresee the agency trying to ban kratom again unless there is compelling evidence to do so.
Click here to find out more about the implications of federal kratom law.
Where to Buy Kratom in Puerto Rico
Acquiring kratom in Puerto Rico is relatively straightforward, with plenty of vendors operating in San Juan. However, picking up premium-grade kratom might be a more challenging quest.
Kratom sold at gas stations and convenience stores is often untrustworthy. And I don’t recommend buying from such retailers if they cannot provide third-party lab results.
I could not find any botanical stores dedicated to kratom in Puerto Rico. The island previously had one, but it closed a while back. However, several head shops and smoke shops sell kratom, although product quality is hit and miss.
If you want premium-grade kratom, I typically suggest buying online. Of course, getting an online kratom order shipped to Puerto Rico could take a couple of weeks, depending on the shipping method. If you can wait, great! But I appreciate that some people need kratom faster than that.
Want to buy kratom in Puerto Rico today? Here are three highly-rated brick-and-mortar stores to check out.
Final Thoughts
Puerto Rico might not be a U.S. state, but it is home to millions of Americans and thousands of kratom users! It is brilliant that kratom is legal, although the island would benefit from regulation. I expect the unregulated market to persist for a while yet, though.