EDITORIAL: Be aware of ingredients in kratom

The messages you see on reader boards and signs are frequently inviting.

"Kratom available here." 

"Kratom products sold here."

It tells you kratom has the potential for pain relief, mood enhancement, increased focus and deeper sleep. Some even say it can treat opiate addiction and fight diabetes.

Not so fast.

According to an Associated Press report, U.S. health officials are warning Americans about the risks of an opioid-related ingredient increasingly added to energy drinks, gummies and supplements, even recommending a nationwide ban.

The chemical, known as 7-hydroxymitragynine, is a component of kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia that has gained popularity in the U.S. as an unapproved treatment for pain, anxiety and drug dependence.

Take a drive around the area and you'll likely see a sign offering kratom.

Federal regulators have been scrutinizing kratom for about a decade after reports of addiction, injury and overdose. But users and distributors have opposed efforts to regulate it.

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to seven companies selling drinks, gummies and powders infused with 7-OH. Regulators said the products violated FDA rules because they have not been evaluated for safety and, in some cases, claimed to treat medical conditions, including pain, arthritis and anxiety, the AP reported.

The Press has spoken to people who said kratom, commonly available at gas stations, adversely affected their lives. They said it changed family members into different people. They said those they loved went broke because they were constantly buying kratom, unable to stop using it.

Questions about the health impacts of kratom aren't new.

"In 2016, the DEA announced plans to add it to the government’s most restrictive schedule 1, reserved for drugs that have no medical use and a high potential for abuse," the AP reported. "But the plan stalled after a flood of public complaints, including a letter signed by more than 60 members of Congress."

The FDA then began studying the ingredient, concluding in 2018 that kratom contains many of the same chemicals as opioids, the addictive class of drugs that includes painkillers like OxyContin as well as heroin and fentanyl. 

"Since then, FDA regulators have continued to issue warnings about cases of injury, addiction and death with kratom supplements, which are usually sold in capsules or powders," the AP said.

The FDA said it was releasing a report to educate about the risks of “7-OH and its distinction from the kratom plant leaf.” Regulators are also recommending that the ingredient be placed on the federal government's most restrictive list of illegal drugs, which includes LSD and heroin. 

The agency’s recommendation will be reviewed by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

As much as we might like, we won't tell you what to do when it comes to kratom. We will tell you to do your research. Understand what 7-OH is and the how it could affect your life.