The American Kratom Association (AKA) is a kratom advocacy group, established in 2014 as a Virginia nonprofit operating as a 501(c)(4), that lobbies for regulating kratom rather than banning it. It also runs a voluntary GMP Standards Program whose "Qualified Vendor" list many buyers, including KratomRated, use as one signal when choosing a vendor.
This page explains what the AKA is, how its vendor program works and where it falls short, which of the eight vendors we rate are listed, and its role in state and federal kratom policy. The AKA is an industry-aligned advocacy organization, not a regulator, and we note where our information comes from the AKA itself. Sources were checked September 28, 2026 unless noted.
21+ only. Kratom isn't FDA-approved for any use and is banned in some states and cities; see our state guide.
What the AKA is
According to its About page, the AKA "is dedicated to protecting the rights of all Americans to legally consume safe kratom." It was established in 2014, is registered in Virginia as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, and is governed by a board of directors; its chairman is former U.S. Representative Matt Salmon. In an August 2026 press release it described itself as "a consumer advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the rights of Americans to safely use natural kratom products" (via Yahoo Finance).
A 501(c)(4) is a social-welfare organization that can lobby. The AKA's public work falls into three areas: state legislation, federal policy and the GMP vendor program.
The AKA GMP Standards Program
How it works
Per the AKA's GMP Standards Program page:
- Vendors register and pay an annual registration fee (the AKA page doesn't state the amount; the Tampa Bay Times reported $5,000 a year in 2023).
- They have 90 days from registration to complete an initial audit.
- An independent third-party auditor checks the vendor's "manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and holding process," based on the federal dietary supplement GMP rules (21 C.F.R. 111).
- Vendors must pass an independent audit every year to stay listed.
- Labeling requirements are set out in separate program documents.
What it doesn't do
The AKA is explicit about the limits:
- The program "does not endorse the quality of the product, only that an independent, third-party auditor verifies that the program standards are being met."
- "No GMP Standards Program participant is permitted to make any claims that AKA endorses any of their product."
- On its vendor list page: listing "should not be construed as the AKA's endorsement of any organization, vendor, product, or service."
In practice, a GMP listing tells you a vendor passed a process audit. It doesn't tell you what's in a given bag. That's what a batch lab report is for; see how to read a kratom lab report.
Criticisms
- Tampa Bay Times, December 2023. An investigation quoted two auditors who described the program as inadequate; one said consumers "would assume... these things are all being checked... But it isn't real." The Times also reported that products from five brands the AKA had designated "consumer champions" were linked to at least seven fatal overdoses in Florida, and that businesses can hold "Kratom Consumer Champion" designations at silver, gold or platinum levels. The AKA told the paper it is "primarily funded by 140,000 kratom backers."
- Courthouse News, January 2022. A report detailed AKA payments to lobbying and consulting firms, including at least $776,000 to a firm run by AKA figures Mac and John Haddow from 2017 to 2020.
We haven't seen the AKA's full responses to every point in these reports; read the originals for context.
Which of our 8 vendors are AKA-listed
We checked the AKA GMP Qualified Vendor list on September 28, 2026 (it runs to 60+ vendors across several pages):
| Vendor | On AKA list? | Name on list | Our review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kats Botanicals | Yes | Kats Botanicals | Review · Visit |
| Golden Monk | Yes | The Golden Monk | Review · Visit |
| Happy Hippo | Yes | Happy Hippo Herbals | Review · Visit |
| MIT45 | Yes | MIT 45 | Review · Visit |
| Kraken Kratom | Yes | Kraken Kratom | Review · Visit |
| Super Speciosa | No | Not found | Review · Visit |
| Kona Kratom | Yes | Kona Kratom | Review · Visit |
| Left Coast Kratom | Yes | Left Coast Kratom | Review · Visit |
Super Speciosa announced it had qualified in July 2019 but wasn't on the list in September 2026. It still has the most detailed public lab program of the eight, with batch lookup and named ISO 17025 labs, which shows why a GMP listing and a batch COA are different signals.
How KratomRated uses the AKA list
AKA listing is one factor in our scoring method, alongside published batch COAs, 7-OH exclusion, policies and price. It's why Super Speciosa ranks sixth despite strong lab transparency. See all eight in our kratom vendor list or the ranked best kratom vendors.
The AKA's role in kratom laws
State laws: the Kratom Consumer Protection Act
The AKA promotes a model state law, the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), with age limits, labeling and adulteration rules. In January 2025 testimony to North Dakota lawmakers, the AKA's Mac Haddow listed 13 states that had enacted KCPA legislation since 2019. The Tampa Bay Times reported that AKA bills were introduced in 34 states over five years with near-identical language. Full detail, including 2026 changes, is in our Kratom Consumer Protection Act guide.
Federal policy and the 2026 DEA lawsuit
- The AKA backed the federal Kratom Consumer Protection Act bills introduced in 2023 (S. 3039 and H.R. 5905), which weren't enacted (Marijuana Moment).
- On August 27, 2026, the AKA sued the DEA and the Justice Department in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Case No. 1:26-cv-02997). It asks the court to declare that the DEA's temporary scheduling order for mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16 doesn't cover botanical kratom with naturally occurring trace amounts, or to set "scientifically defensible thresholds" (press release via Yahoo Finance; Scioto Valley Guardian). The case was pending as of September 28, 2026 as far as we could find.
- Background on that DEA action: what is 7-OH and why we don't list it.
How to use the AKA list as a buyer
- Treat it as a floor, not a guarantee. It confirms a process audit, not a product test.
- Check the list yourself. Vendors can drop off; Super Speciosa is an example. Vendor names on the list may differ from store names ("The Golden Monk," "Happy Hippo Herbals").
- Ask for the batch COA. Prefer vendors with lot lookup. Guides: lab reports, capsules vs powder.
- Check the catalog for 7-OH and "enhanced" products. Several AKA-listed vendors sell enhanced extract blends alongside plain leaf; we exclude them (why).
Risk note
The FDA has not approved kratom for any medical use and warns consumers not to use it. Kratom is banned in several states and some cities (state guide). This page is general information, not legal or medical advice.