OHIO, (WOWO) — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is calling on the state’s Pharmacy Board to immediately classify all natural and synthetic Kratom Compounds as illegal drugs.

Kratom is a plant that’s native to Southeast Asia and is unrated federally.

WTOL Television reports that locally – Kratom is often sold as a powder or in pill or gummy form and is said to help managing chronic pain, anxiety and depression.

The Ohio Department of Health reports that Kratom was a known cause of death in more than 200 unintentional overdoses in the Buckeye State between 2019-2024.