Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has revealed intentions to reduce the availability of Kratom, a plant-derived substance that poses concerns for health authorities due to its opioid-like effects.
Kratom is frequently marketed as a pain relief option and an energy enhancer, often sold in eye-catching packages at gas stations, smoke shops, and liquor stores.
Lately, some manufacturers have managed to enhance the strength of Kratom, specifically the 7-OH or 7-hydroxymitraginine compounds, which interact with opioid receptors in the brain, leading to increased dependency.
“I’ve become an addict [heroin] It was very accessible, but I had to go to the South Bronx or the Lower East Side,” Kennedy told reporters during a press conference on July 29. “They sell them to their kids. They appear as gummy bears, with bright colors and candy flavors. This is a truly troubling industry.”
Alongside FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty McCurry, Kennedy announced that the FDA plans to classify 7-OH as a controlled substance. Following this, drug enforcement agencies will review whether 7-OH should be classified as an illegal drug.
“Be honest,” McCurry remarked. “There are a lot of things concerning us. This could be a mild precursor to something larger. We might just be scratching the surface, but we need to be proactive.”
What is Kratom?
Kratom is derived from the evergreen leaves native to Southeast Asia and is used in various drinks, powders, gummies, and capsules as a pain reliever and energy booster.
This plant has found its way into Chinese herbal medicine dating back to the 1800s, but improvements in synthesizing 7-OH have raised serious alarms.
“7-OH is not just like an opioid… it’s an opioid,” McCurry stated, referring to the compound as being 13 times more potent than morphine. “Still, it can be easily found on shelves in smoke shops, convenience stores, and gas stations across the country.”
The FDA has clarified that 7-OH is not approved as a dietary supplement or food additive and that any claims made otherwise by companies are misleading.
“Consumers using 7-OH products are putting themselves at risk with substances that have not been shown to be safe or effective,” the agency cautioned last month.
The FDA has sent warning letters to at least seven companies for products containing 7-OH.
Is Kratom legal?
Currently, Kratom remains technically legal, though several states have initiated their own restrictions.
At least seven states have already banned Kratom: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
The FDA also does not sanction the use of Kratom with medications.
The risk of Kratom and its withdrawal symptoms
Particularly, 7-OH is known to be highly stimulating and addictive.
It can lead to symptoms like rapid weight loss, liver damage, elevated blood pressure, dizziness, depression, and seizures, according to the Mayo Clinic.
From 2011 to 2017, the National Poison Control Center received 1,807 reports related to Kratom exposure, according to the CDC.
Warnings regarding Kratom’s addictive qualities have spread rapidly across social media platforms, particularly on TikTok, amidst the rise of tonic-like beverages containing Kratom.
Recently, a report brought attention to the case of Johnny Rowling, who died after consuming a large amount of Kratom alongside high levels of mitragynine and the prescription painkiller gabapentin. “The levels of Kratom overwhelmed me. It made my gut sick,” his mother, Jennifer Young, stated. “I had no idea it was so addictive.”
