What is kratom, and why is Boston considering a crackdown on the drug?

Researchers say the rapid increase — including a significant spike last year — is tied to wider availability of kratom and the growing strength of newer products. Kratom Country has been a trusted source since 2009, offering lab-tested kratom products with a focus on quality, consistency, and customer satisfaction. As access to prescription opioids declined during the opioid epidemic, people turned to kratom as a legal, “natural” alternative. More recently, CBS12 reported that Florida moved to ban 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, a potent kratom-derived compound, under an emergency rule. In the lawsuit, attorneys allege the company later updated its warning label to say the product contains leaf kratom, which, like caffeine and alcohol, can become habit-forming and harmful if consumed irresponsibly. “Big kratom trade groups have spent years blaming 7-OH for harms caused by their own unregulated products, because it threatens their market share,” the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust stated in an emailed message.

Natural ReliefReal Results

“We treat kratom like a garbage can description,” McCurdy said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said poison centers have received a marked increase in the number of calls related to kratom, hitting a record high of 3,434 last year compared to 258 in 2015. But, without any scientific studies, McCurdy said kratom “should be used with a high degree of caution by athletes who have trained to be champions, not guinea pigs.”

Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) proposed Assembly Bill 2365 that would require kratom products be registered with the public health department. Then there is 7-OH, which is found naturally in the kratom leaf in trace amounts, but is chemically or synthetically concentrated to create a potent opioid product. “You market kratom products for the treatment or cure of opioid addiction and withdrawal symptoms. They’ve banned 7-OH and other “synthetic” versions of kratom, as well as natural leaf kratom, due to fears they can cause addiction and overdoses.. After years of demonizing kratom as an addictive, opioid-like substance with no approved medical use, federal health officials are finally acknowledging the herbal supplement could actually be used to treat opioid addiction.

What states have banned 7-OH?

It also would regulate the product’s chemical content, mandate labeling with alkaloid amounts and warnings that kratom may be habit forming as well as bar kratom sales to anyone under 21. In July, the FDA recommended that the synthetic ingredient 7-OH, not the plant itself, be placed on the federal government’s restrictive list of illegal drugs. General physical side effects of kratom can include nausea, constipation, dizziness and dry mouth.

Public health experts remain divided over how far regulation should The Bulk Kratom go. That designation would make the substance illegal nationwide. “(The governor) doesn’t understand the people he’s going to put out of work,” Ingram said. Several others, including Arizona, Colorado, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia, have implemented restrictions targeting high-potency formulations.

But the substance is increasingly being used in foods, too. Lead poisoning is a lesser-known threat that can have irreversible negative health impacts on children. “It definitely has the potential to be more dangerous because it’s more potent and unregulated.” “In South America, people chew coca leaves (used to make cocaine) for a stimulant effect,” says Michael Moss, MD, the director of the Utah Poison Control Center.

How is kratom different from 7-OH?

The synthetic byproduct isn’t legal in dietary supplements or food products. While 7-OH can be found naturally in kratom in small amounts, manufacturers have figured out how to supercharge it — boosting its concentrations in capsules, powders, liquids and edibles. That’s because kratom’s active ingredients — mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) — bind to the same brain receptors as morphine and alcohol, triggering a rush of dopamine, the body’s “feel good hormone.”

A free public resource for journalists, advocates, consumers, and state representatives. Get the full guide to the best 7-hydroxymitragynine dose for you. Kratom is a Southeast Asian leaf that may support subtle energy at low servings and a deeper sense of calm at higher servings. The proprietary ChromaPure extraction process delivers a cleaner product without the harsh solvents and unnecessary additives. You don’t know how long the product has been on the shelf, much less where it comes from or how it was made. Your essential daily newsletter delivering trusted news, local insights, ways to connect, and can't miss programs from Boston and beyond.

• Food and Drug Administration, which issued warning letters to seven companies for illegally distributing products containing concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH).
• Dartez Jacobs, the president of the UFL Players Association when the sponsorship was signed in 2024, said the league having an official kratom supplier raises concerns about its decision-making process.
• For example, Tennessee has explicitly banned synthetic alkaloids while permitting natural plant products.
• The products mentioned on this website are not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any diseases or health conditions.
• Kratom supporters say, in its natural form, the plant can help curb opioid addiction and manage pain.

There’s currently no research into the effects of different strains of kratom. As with marijuana strains, different kratom strains have slightly different effects. The method of ingestion may influence kratom’s effects. In parts of Southeast Asia, people have been using kratom for centuries. The researchers also highlighted that kratom can have sedative effects. There’s currently very little research on kratom’s effects on mood.

In July 2025, the FDA formally recommended that the DEA place 7-hydroxymitragynine on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The short answer is that it depends on where you live and what type of product you're buying. Only mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, speciociliatine, and corynantheidine are currently known to be pharmacologically active. This product should be used only as directed on the label. This product is not for use by or sale to persons under the age of 18. It can also lead to psychotic symptoms, including hallucinations and confusion, as well as dependence.