Last updated: July 2026 · Written by the Kingdom Kratom team

Quick answer: The American Kratom Association (AKA) is a nonprofit consumer-advocacy group, founded in 2014, that works to protect legal access to kratom (Mitragyna speciosa). It champions the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) in the states, runs a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) program for vendors, and fights proposed bans at the state and federal level.

What is the American Kratom Association?

The AKA is the most prominent voice for kratom consumers in the United States. Founded in 2014, it represents millions of Americans who want continued legal, regulated access to natural kratom leaf. When a state proposes a ban or a federal agency considers scheduling, the AKA mobilizes consumers, provides testimony, and pushes for sensible regulation instead of prohibition.

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA)

The AKA's flagship policy is the Kratom Consumer Protection Act — model legislation that keeps kratom legal while setting real consumer safeguards: honest labeling, purity standards, age limits, and limits on concentrated 7-OH. More than a dozen states have adopted a KCPA, including Utah, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Colorado, Texas, and others. It's the “regulate, don't ban” alternative the AKA promotes nationwide.

The AKA GMP program

The AKA also runs a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) qualification program, setting voluntary standards for contamination testing, accurate labeling, and age verification. Buying from GMP-minded vendors that publish third-party lab results is one of the best ways to ensure product quality.

Where things stand in 2026

2025-2026 has been a pivotal stretch. Some states enacted bans (Louisiana, Connecticut, Kansas, Tennessee), while Rhode Island became the first state ever to reverse a kratom ban. Federally, on July 1, 2026 the DEA moved to temporarily schedule concentrated and synthetic 7-OH — while explicitly leaving natural kratom leaf legal. The AKA has been central to these fights, arguing for the same leaf-vs-concentrate distinction we do. Read our breakdown of the DEA's 7-OH action and our state-by-state legality guides.

How you can help

You can join the AKA as a Kratom Protector to receive alerts about legislation in your state and add your voice when it counts. Consumer advocacy is exactly what turned the tide in Rhode Island.

Frequently asked questions

What does the American Kratom Association do?

It advocates for legal, regulated kratom access, promotes the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, runs a GMP vendor program, and opposes bans.

What is the KCPA?

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act is model legislation that keeps kratom legal while requiring labeling, purity standards, age limits, and 7-OH limits.

Is kratom federally legal?

Natural kratom leaf remains federally legal; in July 2026 the DEA moved to schedule concentrated and synthetic 7-OH specifically, not the leaf.

This article is general information as of July 2026 and is not legal advice. Kingdom Kratom makes no health or therapeutic claims about kratom.