TRUSTED CONTENTIs kratom legal in Tennessee in 2026? No. Kratom has been illegal in Tennessee since July 1, 2026.
Kratom is illegal to possess, sell, deliver, or manufacture in Tennessee under Matthew Davenport’s Law (House Bill 1649, Public Chapter 950). The ban covers natural leaf and powder, extracts, 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine), and synthetic kratom derivatives.
Possession is a Class A misdemeanor and selling is a Class C felony. Until June 30, 2026, natural kratom could be sold to adults 21 and older. The law has no exemptions, no grace period, and, as far as we could find, no court challenge.
Last reviewed: October 2026 • Written and fact-checked by the RehabSeekers.com editorial team against primary legal sources and reviewed for clinical accuracy. See our editorial policy and accreditations & verification standards.
Tennessee kratom laws changed completely in 2026. For years the state allowed natural kratom leaf for adults 21 and older and banned only synthetic versions. On July 1, 2026 that ended, and Tennessee became one of 10 states with a full kratom ban. This Tennessee kratom ban update explains what the law covers, the penalties, how it is being enforced this fall, and where to find free, confidential help in Tennessee if kratom has become hard to stop.
What Tennessee Kratom Law Says Right Now
As of October 2026, kratom is banned in Tennessee by Public Chapter 950 of 2026, which added a new kratom offense to Tennessee Code Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 4. The law makes it an offense to knowingly possess kratom, to knowingly manufacture, deliver, or sell it, or to possess it with intent to do so. Kratom is not placed on a drug schedule; the ban is a stand-alone criminal offense.
Legal status
Illegal statewide since July 1, 2026 under Matthew Davenport’s Law.
What is covered
Any part of the plant containing mitragynine or 7-OH, leaf extracts, synthetic derivatives, and analogs.
Who it applies to
Anyone who possesses, sells, delivers, or makes kratom. There is no age exemption.
Is 7-OH legal in Tennessee? No. The law defines kratom as “any part of the mitragyna speciosa plant containing the alkaloid mitragynine or metabolite 7-hydroxymitragynine,” and adds anything extracted from the leaf, any alkaloid altered by chemical synthesis, and any derivative or analog. That wording reaches plain powder and capsules, teas, shots, gummies, 7-OH tablets, and lab-made compounds sold as kratom. The Act contains no exemption, licensing route, or allowance for products bought before July 1, 2026.
Tennessee Kratom Ban Update: From Legal at 21+ to a Full Ban
Before July 1, 2026, Tennessee Code section 39-17-452 allowed kratom to be sold only in labeled, natural form (dried leaf or raw leaf powder) and only to adults 21 and older. Public Chapter 950 deleted that subdivision and replaced it with the ban.
How the ban became law, and what has happened since
House Bill 1649, with Senate companion SB 1656, passed the House 78 to 9 and cleared the Senate on April 16, 2026. Governor Bill Lee signed it on May 7, 2026, and it took effect on July 1, 2026. Some reports give April 16 as the signing date; the public chapter shows April 16 as the date of passage and a May approval by the Governor. A rival bill, HB 2594, would have regulated kratom under a Tennessee Kratom Consumer Protection Act. It died in a House subcommittee after its sponsor withdrew in March 2026.
The law is named for Matthew Davenport, a 27-year-old Chattanooga man who died in 2024 after kratom interacted with his prescribed medication. House sponsor Representative Esther Helton-Haynes said of kratom that “natural does not equal safe.” The Act also requires county medical examiners to test for kratom when an overdose death is suspected, requires doctors to include kratom when they order toxicology tests for a suspected overdose or neonatal abstinence syndrome, and tells the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to add kratom to the state’s drug-free workplace definition of a drug.
Enforcement picked up in September 2026. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation seized kratom from 21 businesses on September 11. Coffee County’s sheriff wrote to stores telling them to remove kratom products. On October 1, the Shelby County District Attorney announced the seizure of nearly 30,000 packages of synthetic kratom from a Memphis distributor. Local news has also reported a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation warning that some products labeled as cat’s claw may contain MGM-15. We found no lawsuit challenging the ban as of early October 2026.
Can you buy kratom in Tennessee? No. Stores cannot lawfully sell it, and anyone still holding kratom bought before July 1 is in possession of a banned substance under state law.
Penalties for Kratom in Tennessee
Kratom penalties in Tennessee depend on whether a person is accused of possessing it or of making, delivering, or selling it. The offense classes below come from Public Chapter 950; the sentence and fine ranges are Tennessee’s standard ranges for each class.
| Offense | Charge | Possible sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Knowing possession | Class A misdemeanor | Up to 11 months 29 days; fine up to $2,500 |
| Manufacture, delivery, or sale, or possession with intent | Class C felony | 3 to 15 years; fine up to $10,000 |
| Delivery or sale to a minor | Class B felony | 8 to 30 years; fine up to $25,000 |
Possessing kratom in Tennessee is a misdemeanor, not a felony, but it can still mean jail time and a criminal record. The Class B felony applies when an adult at least two years older than a minor delivers or sells kratom to that minor and knows the person is a minor. The upper figures are the legal maximums for each class; the range a court can use depends on a person’s record, and local reporting on a Coffee County sheriff’s warning cited 3 to 6 years for selling and 8 to 12 years for selling to a minor.
How the maximum penalty escalates (maximum years of exposure)
Knowing possession: just under 1 year
Manufacture, delivery, or sale: up to 15 years
Delivery or sale to a minor: up to 30 years
Bars are scaled against the 30-year maximum. Tennessee is one of 10 states with a full statewide kratom ban, with Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts (one-year emergency order), Vermont, and Wisconsin. See every state on our kratom bans by state page.
Federal vs. Tennessee Kratom Law
Kratom is not scheduled under the federal Controlled Substances Act, but that does not make it legal in Tennessee. States may set stricter rules, and Tennessee has. The Drug Enforcement Administration proposed Schedule I for kratom in August 2016 and withdrew the plan that October. Federal attention has since moved to concentrated 7-OH: the Food and Drug Administration recommended scheduling 7-OH products in July 2025, and the Drug Enforcement Administration published a notice of intent on July 6, 2026. No final order had been published by early October 2026.
Federal position
Kratom leaf is unscheduled, though the Food and Drug Administration says it cannot lawfully be sold as a drug, dietary supplement, or food additive. Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 have been Schedule I since August 26, 2026. A federal 7-OH order is pending.
Tennessee position
All kratom is banned as of July 1, 2026: natural leaf, extracts, 7-OH, and synthetic derivatives and analogs. There is no legal purchase, possession, or sale, and federal status is not a defense to a Tennessee charge.
Traveling Into or Through Tennessee With Kratom
Kratom bought legally in another state becomes illegal to possess once it is inside Tennessee. The ban applies the same way in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and every county, and it covers kratom carried in a car on the interstate or shipped to a Tennessee address.
Tennessee borders eight states with different rules. Alabama and Arkansas also ban kratom. Kentucky allows sales to adults 21 and older until a sales ban starts on January 1, 2027, and already treats concentrated 7-OH as Schedule I. Georgia, Virginia, and Mississippi allow sales to adults 21 and older, with many local bans in Mississippi. North Carolina and Missouri have no state kratom law. If you are moving to Tennessee and use kratom, talk with a clinician before the move about how to taper or stop.
The Health Picture Behind the Tennessee Kratom Ban
Kratom’s main alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, act on the brain’s opioid receptors. People commonly report stimulant-like effects at lower amounts and opioid-like or sedating effects at higher ones. Regular use can lead to physical dependence and withdrawal, which the National Institute on Drug Abuse describes as usually mild to moderate. Concentrated 7-OH is a different matter: the Food and Drug Administration says it can be more potent than morphine. About 1.7 million Americans aged 12 and older used kratom in 2021, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
A ban can force a sudden, unplanned stop. Withdrawal can bring restlessness, muscle aches, sweating, irritability, runny nose, stomach cramps, and poor sleep, often starting within 6 to 12 hours of the last use. Some people may turn to other substances. Dependence is a health condition, not a moral failing, and tapering or stopping with medical support is safer than stopping abruptly and alone. Read more in our guide to opioid rehab and treatment, the closest clinical match for kratom dependence.
Free Tennessee Help & Government Resources
Free, confidential help for kratom and 7-OH dependence is available across Tennessee. The lines below cost nothing to call, and asking about treatment is a health matter, not a legal one.
Tennessee REDLINE
Free, confidential treatment referrals, 24/7. Call or text
1-800-889-9789
National Helpline
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Free & confidential, 24/7
1-800-662-4357
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
24/7 crisis support statewide
Call or text 988
Tennessee Statewide Crisis Line
Mental health crisis counselors, 24/7
1-855-274-7471
Tennessee Poison Center
For adverse reactions, 24/7
1-800-222-1222
Find a provider
Tennessee providers taking new clients now
findhelpnow.org/tn
The Tennessee REDLINE is run by the Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug and other Addiction Services with funding from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and aims to give callers three referrals matched to their needs. The department’s own helpline, 1-800-560-5767, is open weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm for people having trouble reaching services. The Tennessee Poison Center is operated by Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, is sold over the counter, and Tennessee’s Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists offer free overdose response training, with free naloxone for people who qualify.
Finding Treatment for Kratom Dependence in Tennessee
No medication is approved specifically for kratom dependence. Because kratom acts on opioid receptors, clinicians often draw on the approaches used for opioid use disorder, and published case reports describe buprenorphine being used for people dependent on kratom. The right level of care depends on how long and how much you have used, and whether other substances or mental health conditions are involved. Common paths include:
Stabilizing safely
Medical detox and detox by substance programs manage withdrawal symptoms under clinical supervision during the hardest early days.
Ongoing care
Outpatient medication clinics, including those offering buprenorphine, intensive outpatient programs, and partial hospitalization programs provide treatment while you keep living at home.
For higher-intensity needs, residential rehab provides a structured, substance-free setting, while sober living homes support the move back to daily life. TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program, covers withdrawal management and substance use disorder treatment at the inpatient, residential, and outpatient levels: see rehabs that take Medicaid, free rehab options, and state-funded programs.
Browse drug and alcohol rehab centers in Tennessee by city, including Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Johnson City, Kingsport, Jackson, Franklin, and Cookeville. Neighborhood pages cover East Nashville, Germantown in Nashville, Midtown Memphis, and Brainerd in Chattanooga. Near a state line, treatment in Kentucky, Georgia, or Alabama may be closer. You can also search the full U.S. locations directory, all treatment programs, and our recovery resources.
Tennessee Kratom Laws: Frequently Asked Questions
Is kratom legal in Tennessee in 2026?
No. Kratom has been illegal in Tennessee since July 1, 2026 under Matthew Davenport’s Law (House Bill 1649, Public Chapter 950). Possessing, selling, delivering, and manufacturing kratom are all criminal offenses.
When was kratom banned in Tennessee?
July 1, 2026. The General Assembly passed the bill on April 16, 2026 and Governor Bill Lee signed it on May 7, 2026. Before the ban, natural kratom could be sold to adults 21 and older.
Is 7-OH legal in Tennessee?
No. The Tennessee kratom ban names 7-hydroxymitragynine in its definition of kratom and also covers leaf extracts, synthetic derivatives, and analogs. 7-OH tablets, shots, and gummies are illegal to possess or sell.
Does the Tennessee ban include natural kratom leaf?
Yes. The law covers any part of the kratom plant that contains mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine, so plain leaf, powder, capsules, and teas are banned along with concentrated products.
What is the penalty for possessing kratom in Tennessee?
Knowing possession is a Class A misdemeanor, with up to 11 months and 29 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Manufacturing, delivering, or selling kratom is a Class C felony, and delivering or selling it to a minor is a Class B felony.
Can you buy kratom in Tennessee or have it shipped there?
No. Selling or delivering kratom in Tennessee is a felony, and possessing it is an offense however it was obtained. Kratom bought legally in another state is illegal to hold once it is in Tennessee.
Are MGM-15 and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl legal in Tennessee?
No. The Drug Enforcement Administration placed mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 in federal Schedule I by temporary order on August 26, 2026. Tennessee’s definition of kratom also reaches alkaloids altered by chemical synthesis and their analogs.
Has the Tennessee kratom ban been challenged in court?
Not that we could find. As of early October 2026 we found no lawsuit against Public Chapter 950 and no bill to repeal it. The General Assembly returns in January 2027.
Will getting treatment for kratom get me in legal trouble?
Calling a helpline or entering treatment does not create a criminal record, and federal rule 42 CFR Part 2 protects substance use disorder treatment records. The Tennessee REDLINE at 1-800-889-9789 is free and confidential.
Important: This article is for general information and harm-reduction purposes and is not legal or medical advice. Laws change and enforcement varies by county. For a specific legal question, consult a licensed Tennessee attorney; for a health decision, speak with a qualified clinician. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
References and Citations
- Tennessee Secretary of State. Public Chapter No. 950 (2026), House Bill 1649, “Matthew Davenport’s Law.” tnsosfiles.com
- LegiScan. Tennessee HB 1649 (114th General Assembly), bill history and roll calls. legiscan.com
- LegiScan. Tennessee HB 2594 (114th General Assembly), Tennessee Kratom Consumer Protection Act. legiscan.com
- Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-17-452, earlier kratom provisions (version current to January 2024). codes.findlaw.com
- WAFF 48. Kratom seized from 21 Lincoln County businesses, September 11, 2026. waff.com
- WSMV. Tennessee sheriff warning stores to remove kratom products, September 18, 2026. wsmv.com
- Action News 5. Kratom crackdown: nearly 30,000 packages seized, October 1, 2026. actionnews5.com
- Federal Register. Temporary placement of mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16 in Schedule I, August 26, 2026. federalregister.gov
- Federal Register. Notice of intent, temporary placement of 7-hydroxymitragynine above a specified threshold in Schedule I, July 6, 2026. federalregister.gov
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA and Kratom. fda.gov
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. Kratom. nida.nih.gov
- Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Treatment and Recovery. tn.gov
- Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug and other Addiction Services. TN REDLINE. taadas.org
- Division of TennCare. Substance Use Treatment. tn.gov
- Tennessee Poison Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. vumc.org
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. National Helpline. samhsa.gov
Kratom Bans & Laws by State
Kratom’s legal status varies widely across the U.S. Select any state below to see its current kratom laws, pending legislation, and local treatment and support resources.
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