Spectrum News Investigates: Kratom's Shift From Leaf to Lab Alarms Scientists and Regulators Nationwide

Why it matters

Spectrum News published a four-part national investigation examining how the kratom market has transformed from traditional plant medicine to an industry selling potent synthetic derivatives in gas stations, drawing alarm from scientists, former users, and regulators across the country.

The big picture

The kratom industry has shifted rapidly from dried leaf products to highly concentrated 7-OH extracts and novel synthetic alkaloids, often marketed alongside natural products with no clear distinction for consumers. Scientists say the regulatory conversation must now focus on distinct alkaloids with very different risk profiles. States are responding at varying speeds — from outright bans in Alabama, Tennessee, and North Dakota to age-gated regulatory frameworks in Georgia, Minnesota, and Florida. The DEA's temporary scheduling of 7-OH in July 2026 was the federal government's most direct action against any kratom compound to date.

Key findings

• Scientists warn that 7-OH products sold in gas stations today are far more potent than traditional kratom leaf
• Former users describe severe addiction, large financial losses, and intense withdrawal symptoms
• Some products are sold in brightly colored gummy form or novelty shapes with no age restrictions in certain states
• Kratom-related calls to poison control centers have surged dramatically in recent years
• Regulators across multiple states are implementing emergency rules following the DEA's Schedule I placement of 7-OH
• Researchers say the field must distinguish between mitragynine, 7-OH, and emerging synthetic alkaloids like pseudoindoxyl

What they say

Dr. Shravani Durbhakula, associate professor of anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told Spectrum News: "We can't just talk about kratom anymore. We need to be talking about mitragynine versus 7-OH versus any other alkaloid that might be compounded."

Bottom line

A national Spectrum News investigation finds that the kratom market has evolved far faster than scientific understanding or regulation, with synthetic alkaloids now dominant in a product category that most states still treat as minimally regulated.