BOSTON, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - It’s been called “gas station heroin” and it’s sitting on shelves right now at smoke shops and convenience stores across Massachusetts. Connecticut just banned it, now Massachusetts has to decide what to do with it.

If you’ve ever walked into a gas station or smoke shop here in Massachusetts, you may have seen it on the shelf and not known what it was. It’s called kratom — and some local cities and ton already have it on the chopping block, but could we soon see a ban statewide?

Kratom is sold with no regulations, no product testing, and no age restrictions — in pill, powder, gummy, candy, beverage, and leaf form. It has no approved medical use and is not prescribed by physicians, and severe side effects such as seizure and hallucinations have been reported. For parents, the stakes are clear — these products are often sold as colorful gummies and drinks, available to people of all ages.

As of Tuesday, Connecticut banned the sale of kratom statewide, now Massachusetts IS AT a crossroads. Some local towns have already moved to ban it. Springfield discussed it last month and Northampton already moved to take it off the shelves back in 2025.

“Our Department of Public Health is evaluating that right now and talking to officials in Connecticut. I can assure you, as somebody who fought the Sackler’s and the opioid makers, I’m really invested in people’s health,” Governor Maura Healey said in a statement.

The state legislature is weighing two very different paths — a total ban, or a new set of safety rules. One plan (senate bill 1558) wants to follow Connecticut’s lead and ban the sale of kratom entirely because of safety concerns. The other plan (house bill 5127) would keep it legal but create strict “kratom control” rules, like making sure it isn’t sold to anyone under 21 and requiring lab testing to make sure it isn’t mixed with dangerous chemicals.

“If there are substances out there at gas stations or elsewhere that are a danger, a threat to the health of our people, I’m going to take action. But we’ve got to learn a little bit more,” Governor Healey said.

If you or someone you know uses kratom for pain or energy, it could soon become illegal to buy or own in this state. The question for Massachusetts isn’t just whether kratom is dangerous — it’s who gets to decide what stays on the shelf.

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