Media has created a firestorm around kratom, even though there is no evidence kratom had anything to do with the September 21 death of two students at the University of Mississippi. Multiple media outlets incorrectly reported that “kratom packages” were found near the bodies of both students. This turned out not to be true. Police …
“Styles had been on a ‘bender of various substances for a prolonged time’ before his death, the report noted. His parents had been checking on him hourly. He was last seen alive around 3 p.m. and was later discovered by his parents on August 20.” The above quote from an US Magazine article provides critical …
On August 24 the DEA announced an order to place mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 on Schedule I of the federal list of controlled substances for a period of two years. The announcement in part said: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is issuing this temporary order to schedule three 7-hydroxymitragynine-related substances (mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and …
DEA Issues Order to Ban Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 Read More »
On August 6, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway put out a press release announcing that another kratom company had “agreed” to no longer sell kratom. The Green Dragon, LLC and owners David Jadwin and Matthew Jadwin (together, “Dragon”), have agreed not to own, operate, or have a financial interest in any business entity in the …
Though Kratom is Legal in Missouri, AG is Using Lawsuits to Shut Down Sales Read More »
Tonight at 11:59 PM, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will close comments on the notice “Temporary Placement of 7-Hydroxymitragynine Above a Specified Threshold in Schedule I; Request for Information“. The notice asks for specific information and scientific evidence about the threshold of 7-OH that should be allowable in kratom products. However, many …
In a study published June 30 in Clinical Toxicology, scientists found mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, and mitragynine-pseudoindoxyl in three liquid shot products being sold as “kava” in Alabama. Alabama law specifically lists mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine as Schedule I controlled substances. Though mitragynine-pseudoindoxyl is not specifically listed as a controlled substance in the state, it is controlled as …
Scientists Find Kratom Alkaloids in Products Marketed as Kava in Alabama Read More »
On June 1, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that mitragynine, the most abundant alkaloid in kratom, has been cleared as an Investigational New Drug (IND). With IND status, scientists at University of Florida are now authorized to study the effects of pure mitragynine in human subjects. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director …
NIH Approves Clinical Trials as Mitragynine Gets “Investigational New Drug” Status Read More »
In a ruling the American Kratom Association (AKA) called “brutal”, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy mandated that while natural dried leaf kratom will remain legal, the same kratom sold in capsules will be classified as Schedule I substances, along with kratom in liquid form. Major liquid extract brands that have been marketed in gas stations …
Ohio Board of Pharmacy’s Controversial New Kratom Rules Read More »
Following a White House meeting on drug policy on Monday, May 11, 2026, President Donald Trump told a small group of reporters, “We’re looking very seriously at natural 7‑OH and getting that approved.” In 2025, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy gave a press …
Trump Says His Administration is Looking to Approve “Natural 7-OH” Read More »
Keep in Mind: Despite news media and other nefarious actors’ exaggerations, and despite millions of informed adults using kratom in moderation with net benefits, risks of kratom use are real. Kratom should not be consumed in high doses or with various other substances, including alcohol, Benedryl, Tylenol, opioids, or multiple prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Kratom …
“Kratom-Related Exposures” Reported to Poison Control Increase to 3,434 in 2025 Read More »