RFK Jr. is cracking down on 7-OH. What is kratom – and how addictive is it?
After a viral video on TikTok and a stern press conference with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., kratom is in the spotlight. But what is it?
Products containing the plant ingredient kratom are sold across the country at gas stations, liquor stores and smoke shops. They come in drinks, capsules and powders. Some have bright, colorful packaging.
But kratom is no run-of-the mill caffeine drink. Medical experts say it can be highly addictive, producing effects similar to those of opioids and opiates. Paste BN spoke with over 20 people who say they became severely addicted to kratom − to devastating consequences.
Here's what to know about the ingredient, often marketed as a wellness supplement.
What is kratom?
Kratom is a plant ingredient that comes from Southeast Asia. It's often marketed as an herbal supplement that promotes relaxation and boosts energy.
Dr. Timothy Fong, a UCLA addiction psychiatrist, says the ability of companies to put large amounts of kratom into otherwise innocuous-looking products has made it more susceptible to abuse.
"At its core, this is a plant that's been around thousands of years," Fong says. "It has been used in Southeast Asia, chewing on the leaf as a stimulant, as a way of pain relief. And now, through vast modern technology, we've created the ability to have, what I call, fast-food kratom, if you will. Different formulations. Capsules. Powders. Teas. Gummies. Smokable versions. All sorts of different things."
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What is the difference between kratom and 7-OH?
Kratom is the name for the entire plant ingredient, while 7-OH, which stands for 7-Hydroxymitragynine, is a chemical byproduct of kratom. Some products are made with the whole kratom plant, while others are formulated specifically with high concentrations of 7-OH. Products marketed with 7-OH tend to be stronger and have recently drawn scrutiny from the FDA.
What has RFK Jr., the FDA said about kratom, 7-OH?
During a July 29 press conference, Food and Drug Administration commissioner Martin Makary announced the organization's intention to crackdown on products containing 7-OH; however, Makary also made clear during that press conference that the organization's focus is on 7-OH, not kratom overall.
Makary spoke alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy while announcing their plan to initiate the process to have 7-OH scheduled as an illicit substance. That will happen if the Drug Enforcement Administration approves the FDA's sanction after review.
"I spent 14 years a heroin addict, and I've been 43 years in recovery," Kennedy said during the press conference. "I've had iron willpower for most of my life. ... This compulsion was absolutely impervious to my will, and part of the problem was just the availability."
Is kratom addictive?
Medical experts tell Paste BN that, though kratom and 7-OH in general remain understudied topics, all kratom products carry risk for addiction, not just ones marketed with 7-OH. Some of the people who spoke to Paste BN said their addiction was just to products with kratom, and they never tried ones with synthetic 7-OH. For others, using products with kratom became a gateway to using products with synthetic 7-OH.
Dr. Lief Fenno, chair of the American Psychiatric Association Council on Addiction Psychiatry, believes kratom has escaped scrutiny because it does not bind to receptors in the brain the same way that drugs like heroin and morphine do.
"The shapes of these molecules from kratom are very different than the shapes of things like morphine or fentanyl," Fenno says. "And so, the argument can be made that they're not opioids, because they don't have a specific shape like opioids. And that's despite the fact that they work in a very similar way."
Why are people talking about kratom now?
There are many kratom products on the market, but one particular drink has gone viral in recent weeks. On July 25, a TikToker under the name @yourbestimisha posted a video that now has over 19 million views, in which he described how a teenage boy tried stealing his wallet outside a gas station after he refused to go inside to buy the boy a Feel Free tonic containing kratom. A representative for Botanic Tonics, the company behind Feel Free, told Paste BN its Feel Free Classic tonic contains only natural leaf kratom, with nearly undetectable levels of 7-OH.
The Botanic Tonics representative told Paste BN the company takes its 21-and-over restriction very seriously and has reached out to this TikToker for further details. The company's CEO Cameron Korehbandi has also released a statement applauding the FDA for going after 7-OH.
"We've been advocating for exactly this type of regulatory approach — one that protects consumers from synthetic derivatives while preserving access to traditional botanical ingredients with centuries of safe use," Korehbandi said.
Earlier this year, Botanic Tonics settled an $8.75 million class-action lawsuit filed in March 2023 that alleged the company falsely marketed its kratom tonic as a healthy alternative to alcohol. In January 2024, the company announced it would add a warning to the label for its Feel Free Classic tonic saying the product can become "habit forming and harmful to your health if consumed irresponsibly," and, in May 2024, it announced the addition of a 21-and-over restriction to its products.
For resources or support with substance use disorder, you can visit the SAMHSA.gov website or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).