‘He didn’t wake up:’ Mom shares story of son’s kratom death as regulation debate continues

The “active ingredients” in kratom—Mytragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine—interact with the same brain receptors as opioids. If these actions are approved by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, Ohio will be the first state in the country to categorize all current and future natural and synthetic kratom compounds as Schedule I drugs. The FDA recently recommended that the kratom compound 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) be classified as an illegal drug under the Controlled Substances Act. These synthetic kratom products, which are often sold in packaging designed to attract youth, have been found to cause psychosis, seizures, insomnia, hallucinations, and death.

• The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development would be required to add kratom to its official definition of a “drug.”
• San Diego has banned kratom sales, while other municipalities have considered restrictions.
• News stations reported that drug paraphernalia was found at the scene.
• “For years, opponents of kratom have attempted to portray natural kratom leaf as a public health threat,” said Mac Haddow, Senior Fellow on Public Policy for the American Kratom Association (AKA), an association of kratom vendors.
• Retailers and supporters of natural kratom have said it treats pain and increases focus and energy with few side effects.

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A woman in California says she maxed out at least two credit cards to fuel her addiction − and now she doesn't know what the future holds for herself or her 9-year-old son. Others thought it was a healthy alternative to alcohol. Maloney believes her addiction would have taken her life too, had she not gone to rehab in 2024. Her addiction, she says, took nearly everything from her. Among those who spoke for the ban was Susie and Roger Bullard of Tipp City, whose 27-year-old son Philip died in November 2024.

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“Similarly, with kratom—while not nearly as potent as a stimulant—it is unusual that it also acts like an opioid when taken at a higher dose.” In an ideal world, kratom powder would be a well-regulated drug. There are increasing requirements for herbal medicines to list the actual amount of active chemicals, like echinacea for cold and flu, but kratom falls into this weird category now, because it's neither a drug nor a dietary supplement. 7-OH is a more water-soluble version of that main active ingredient, but it is about five- to 50-fold more potent on the brain than mitragynine as an opioid receptor agonist or stimulator. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended adding 7-OH to the Schedule I drug list, putting it in the category of heroin that labels it as having “no Kratom Farms currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” “And 7-OH is five to 50 times more potent than the normal kratom powder used in capsule or tea form, resulting in a much higher likelihood of overuse and abuse.”

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“Consumers who use 7-OH products are exposing themselves to products that have not been proven safe or effective for any use,” the FDA warned. There are no approved drugs containing it, and no legal basis for companies to claim it helps with pain or anxiety, according to the agency. “7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a statement. Experts warn that means they will have stronger effects — and a greater risk for addiction and harm.

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People can end up with heart attacks if they drink several of those, whereas you would have to drink a significantly higher amount of coffee to get into health problems. So it’s similar to caffeine drinks at the highest levels of caffeine vs. coffee, or flower cannabis vs. shatter? Even if it’s in capsules, that’s like taking six extra-strength Tylenol capsules at a time. Now, no one is going to ever ingest 3 grams of leaf powder – the leaves are very bitter, like most alkaloids are.