South Dakota Senate panel advances bills to ban intoxicating hemp, kratom

A Senate committee moves forward with legislation targeting unregulated hemp and kratom products as the state's medical marijuana program expands.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

A South Dakota Senate panel has advanced bills to ban intoxicating hemp and kratom, according to Marijuana Moment. The action comes as the state navigates competing pressures: medical marijuana cardholders have grown 62% year-over-year, and the program continues to expand in border communities, yet lawmakers have also pursued measures targeting unregulated cannabinoid products.

The timing suggests a split regulatory approach. Just days prior, the same chamber rejected a separate debate on similar bans, while in February it rejected bills to repeal the medical program entirely—signaling that lawmakers are attempting to preserve the medical system while containing the broader hemp market. Recent enforcement actions, including multiple trafficking busts and large seizures, may underscore legislative concerns about the distinction between regulated medical supply and illicit products.

Watch whether these bills reach a floor vote and what definitions they use to distinguish regulated medical cannabis from the intoxicating hemp and kratom products they target. The outcome will clarify whether South Dakota intends to tighten its regulatory perimeter or allow the unregulated market to persist.