Where to Buy Kratom in Charleston, West Virginia

After years of lobbying for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, the AKA celebrated a win in June of 2023 when legislators in West Virginia finally passed Senate Bill 220. This law encompasses a range of products, including kratom, and gives strict regulations that vendors and manufacturers need to follow in order to sell their kratom products to consumers.

For buyers in Charleston, that means a comfortable and convenient shopping experience that doesn’t call for such tedious scrutiny of every vendor and product. However, that’s not to say that buyers can just splurge their cash on any kratom they find. Here’s what you need to know.

What Does SB 220 Say About Kratom?

To be clear, SB 220 officially legalizes kratom in the state of West Virginia, but that doesn’t mean manufacturers and vendors are free to sell the stuff without regulation. Through the Commissioner of Agriculture, the state aims to ensure that all kratom products that make it to store shelves have met certain criteria. These include:

• Laboratory tests that show that all products do not include any additives intended to enhance or amplify the kratom’s potential effects;
• Laboratory tests that show contaminants (heavy metals and microbes)
• Label inspections that mandate proper indication of a product’s alkaloid profile as well as a written warning that the product must be kept away from young children and must not be used by pregnant women;
• Strict implementation of age restrictions on buyers aged below 21 years of age.

What’s more, before a vendor can even sell kratom in Charleston and elsewhere in the state of West Virginia, they must first register with the Department of Agriculture. Similarly, all products must pass through the state’s registration process in order to be legally sold.

Anyone found guilty of selling kratom products without a permit in the state will be deemed guilty of a criminal offense.

What Does This Mean for Kratom Buyers in Charleston, WV?

In other states that have neither banned nor legalized kratom, the market is nothing short of a circus. An unregulated kratom industry leaves a load of room for shady vendors to sell their dodgy products to unsuspecting, ill-advised consumers.

That means in states without laws that regulate kratom, buyers are immensely exposed to risky products that could be dangerous to their health. And worse, most vendors and manufacturers can get away with it since there are no laws that make it a crime.

Although kratom shopping in Charleston, WV is definitely far less risky, that doesn’t mean you can just buy the first batch of kratom you find. With protective laws in place, your objective now becomes trying to find the best kratom for your money’s worth.

Here are some tips to help you do just that:

• Start off with permits – Even with SB 220 in place, there are some unsavory opportunistic sellers that still try their luck. So to protect yourself with the long arm of the law, you might want to begin your search by checking the West Virginia state Department of Agriculture’s list of registered kratom vendors available on their website.
• Consider GMP certification – The AKA has long implemented their GMP certification program that informs buyers which vendors or manufacturers adhere to production guidelines. Unlike SB 220, this measure inspects the facilities where products are made as well as the manner in which they’re processed. So it adds an extra layer of protection for buyers who want to ensure the compliance of the products they buy.

• Read what others have to say – Kratom vendors thrive on the positive feedback of past buyers, and some will even go as far as faking them to fool the public. When you go online to check reviews for vendors and products, make sure you go the extra mile to see who is leaving the feedback. Profiles with limited activity and no traceable identity may point to the vendors themselves hoping to boost public image.

Kratom Shops to Try in Charleston, WV

Smoke City, Inc.

3812 MacCorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV 25304

Known for: Extensive range of kratom strains and products

Smoke City, Inc. has become something of a monument in Charleston for kratom buyers who want something familiar and reliable. These guys keep their shelves stocked with some of the most popular kratom products on the scene, so you won’t have to spend too much time debating what to get.

Smoker Friendly

5711 MacCorkle Ave SE Suite B, Charleston, WV 2530

Known for: Excellent customer service and refund policy

Smoker Friendly keeps their kratom line-up pretty straightforward with just your good ol’ fashioned powders and capsules in a very modest range of strains and color veins. But they make up for it with a customer-friendly refund and return policy that makes sure that buyers aren’t saddled with products they don’t like. If you’re a first time kratom user who isn’t sure what to get, Smoker Friendly lives up to their name and is definitely worth checking out.

VapeHouse Smoke Shop, Inc.

332B Campbells Creek Dr, Charleston, WV 25306

Known for: Friendly community for buyers who want more than just kratom

While their fair prices and full-stocked store might definitely pull in the customers, the friendly community is what keeps them coming back for more. You will probably never walk into VapeHouse Smoke Shop without finding a familiar face to share a conversation with. So if you want to connect with like-minded kratom users in person and you don’t know where to start, VapeHouse could be a good place to try.

Charleston, WV’s kratom scene is alive as ever, and options abound. Thanks to the passing of SB 220, shoppers like you can focus more on quality instead of just fighting your way to find products that are clean and sanitary.

Make sure to keep these tips in mind and stop by these vetted, registered shops the next time you’re trying to find some quality kratom in Charleston, WV.

CONTENT DISCLAIMER: The content on this page is strictly for entertainment purposes only. The content below has not been medically reviewed and is not intended to offer advice for use or intended use. For more information about kratom and its potential dangers, please visit the fda.gov site.