Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Signs Two Pieces of Landmark Legislation to Protect New Yorkers Against the Harmful Effects of Commercial Herbal Product Known as Kratom

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul signed two pieces of landmark legislation to protect New Yorkers from the harmful effects of kratom, a commercially available herbal product sold for recreational use. This comes amid a rise in concerns about the link to potential health risks. Legislation S4552A/A2340A amends public health law to prohibit the sale of kratom products to individuals under 21 years of age. Legislation S8285/A5852A requires any kratom product being manufactured, distributed or sold in New York State to include a consumer warning label.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

Good morning. I just had a mom-to-mom conversation with Cari Scribner, she and her husband Dan, and a great friend, Nick's godfather, the former mayor of Ballston Spa, John Romano.

Cari should be wrapping presents for Nick this year. She should be celebrating a four-month-old baby's first Christmas with her entire family intact. But that is not the Christmas that Carrie and her family can look forward to this year. Indeed, it was just over a year ago where their lives changed so dramatically. Because everything I do as Governor is to protect New Yorkers — everything. And there's some times you feel a little helpless because there's someone you weren't able to protect, and that is a young man, 24-year-old Nick Scribner.

So today, we're addressing an issue that I believe ultimately will keep New Yorkers safe. That the story that was elevated with Cari’s powerful voice — unexpectedly thrust into the role of an advocate, given the choice, as others do, to retreat into the pain and the anguish of the unspeakable loss of a child, or to turn around and try to save other families from knowing the pain that she and her family have experienced because of the loss of her beloved son.

She became a fierce advocate, gathering with other families that she found esprit de corps with; other families that lost their children to a drug that people thought was absolutely harmless. “It's natural, grows in the wild, it’s not made in a lab, it must be safe,” and they and other families found that was not the case at all. So I thank her for being the champion that this cause needed, those who rallied around her, also the advocates who got together, I want to thank all of you for giving your time to spare other families this pain.

And our sponsors of bills, many times we can address problems by getting together with their colleagues in the Assembly and the Senate, talking about the options, how we can address a crisis or a problem, and then it lands on my desk. I want to thank the bill sponsors: Senator Pat Fahy, Senator James Skoufis, Assemblymember John McDonald and Assemblymember Phil Steck, who you'll all hear from in a few moments as they can talk to you about why they felt so compelled to take these steps.

Now, kratom is a largely unregulated herbal substance from Southeast Asia. It's ground into powders and capsules and teas and liquid extracts. It's sold in convenience stores and smoke shops, and even online. Kratom has become more widespread because basically there's no warnings and no age limits. Kids from high school can walk into a store and buy this. And it is a stimulant that has opiate-like effects, so it can be used to increase energy, manage anxiety, alleviate pain and even supposedly ease the pain of opiate withdrawal, except it has its own addictive properties that no one knew about.

Almost one percent of all U.S. adolescents report having used kratom in the last year. Doesn't sound like a lot, one percent of Americans, that's two million — two million people have used it, including tens of thousands of New Yorkers. And minors, young people who aren't even aware that there's something dangerous about this substance.

The FDA and the CDC, they do warn of addiction, and dependence and dangerous risks. But kratom was listed — just in a one year period — as the cause of death in over 100 overdose cases, not nationwide, but in the State of New York. We lost 100 people because of this.

These aren't abstract statistics. “Not just 100.” It's real people. It's your neighbors. It's your friend. And, in some cases, it's your son. Young people like Nick Scribner, in 2024 from respiratory arrest caused by kratom intoxication — that's what was said, kratom intoxication. As I mentioned, what his family has gone through and what Cari has championed while we're here today. And I want to thank her again.

I can never thank her enough for not receding into her own life, but stepping forward. And I want to thank everyone to make sure that his death was not in vain — that we could perhaps save other lives from meeting the same fate. I believe that New York consumers should know what they're buying, what they're ingesting. Their families should know. And they deserve to have clear warnings about the psychiatric, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and respiratory risk associated with it.

Our state has built strong nation-leading frameworks to regulate substances, and kratom has been used around the world for centuries. So there may be some health benefits. We're not talking about an outright ban. But if a product carries real risk, don't you think people should know about it? Shouldn't you at least be able to make that decision?

So that's why we need protections. And today, I'm signing balanced legislation, a responsible approach to freedom regulation through two straightforward measures aligning with basically how we already regulate tobacco and vaping products, cannabis, and alcohol.

First of all, we're establishing age restrictions. It makes it illegal to sell or provide kratom to anyone under the age of 21. It requires clear signage, ID checks and a $500 civil penalty for violations. Secondly, we're setting marketing rules and requiring warning labels. These labels — as we've seen them before — will disclose the product ingredients and prominently warn consumers about the known risks, and that kratom is not approved by the FDA. Together these bills, I believe, will prevent addiction. An awareness — Nick would never have done this if he had known there were risks. He was trying to find a non-addictive natural substance.

I think we can avoid more tragedies with these. We talk about protecting families and kids, and I want to thank my fellow champions for trying to do just that here today. I'm proud to decide this, but there's a part of me that wishes I didn't have to. I wish that there were 100 New Yorkers still with us today because they knew the risks, and because of this warning, they did not ingest this. But alas, we are here today going forth into a new year shortly with new warnings and hopefully giving people a new lease on life and sparing other families, as I mentioned, what this incredible family has gone through.

So together we're making New York stronger, ultimately safer, and protecting the people that I've taken an oath, sworn to protect, and that is 20 million New Yorkers. So I thank everyone for joining us here today. Thank you for being great champions and advocates. And with that, let me call up Cari so you can hear from a mom what it's been like and why she's here today.

Let's give her a round of applause. Thank you.