Unregulated Kratom Drinks Emerge as Public Health Concern; Researchers Warn of Marketing Parallels to Opioid Crisis

Why it matters

Kratom beverages have expanded from niche wellness products to mass-market items in convenience stores and gas stations, exposing millions of casual consumers to opioid-like effects without their knowledge. Regulators and public health officials are struggling to keep pace with rapid market growth.

The big picture

Like the opioid and e-cigarette crises before it, the kratom drink industry has exploited regulatory gaps, misleading marketing ("all-natural," "plant-based"), and lack of consumer awareness. Kratom contains alkaloids that engage opioid receptors and can cause tolerance, withdrawal, and dependence. The shift from intentional product selection to impulse-buy beverages represents a fundamental change in how the substance reaches consumers.

Key findings

• Kratom beverages first appeared in specialty shops in 2019; by 2022, Feel Free Wellness Tonic entered 7-Eleven, expanding to thousands of convenience stores nationwide
• Estimated 1.84% of U.S. adults (5+ million people) had used kratom by 2023, with uptick continuing
• Products have inconsistent labeling and dosing; mitragynine content varies from 2.76–20.05 mg/g across commercial products
• Kratom drinks marketed with deceptive health-halo branding omit information about adverse effects (agitation, seizures, CNS depression, dependence)
• Many drinks contain multiple opioid-like substances (kratom + kava + synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine); long-term interaction effects unstudied

What they say

"Kratom drinks are not simply a new form of delivery. They are a new industry, built on a model of fast access, minimal regulation, and misleading marketing." — Teresa Perry & Sayorn Chin, authors, Public Health Reports

Bottom line

**Kratom drinks represent a preventable public health emergency that requires immediate federal regulation, mandated labeling, restricted marketing, and consumer education before the crisis deepens.**