Documented Fatalities & Legal Consequences

Jordan McKibban case (2022)

In April 2022, Washington state resident Jordan McKibban (age 37) mixed a tablespoon of powdered kratom into lemonade, lost consciousness, and was later pronounced dead. Autopsy attributed his death solely to mitragynine, the primary kratom alkaloid.

Johnny Loring case (2024)

In spring 2024, Ohio resident Johnny Loring (age 27) collapsed during a family hunting trip. Toxicology found lethal levels of mitragynine plus the prescription drug gabapentin in his system, marking another kratom‐related fatality.

Families pursue wrongful‐death lawsuits

McKibban’s and Loring’s mothers — Pam Mauldin and Jennifer Young — are each suing kratom suppliers over deceptive marketing and lack of dosage instructions, lamenting the lives and milestones (marriages, children) lost. Both families note that kratom packaging offered no instructions, dosage suggestions or overdose warnings, and survivors were incorrectly told that excess kratom ingestion would merely cause vomiting, not death.

Parental advisories

Grieving parents and addiction specialists urge caregivers to discuss kratom’s dangers candidly with children — emphasizing that “all-natural” or “plant-derived” does not guarantee safety (“arsenic is also from a plant”).

Kratom Health Effects & Safety

Opioid-like effects and addiction potential

Medical experts report both whole-plant kratom and especially 7-OH bind to opioid receptors in ways that cause euphoria, dependence and severe withdrawal — “much more potent than morphine” in the case of 7-OH — and warn all kratom products carry significant addiction risk.

Mechanistic differences, similar outcomes

Although kratom’s alkaloid molecules differ structurally from morphine or fentanyl and don’t bind identically, they nonetheless activate the same pathways to deliver opioid-like pain relief, sedative and stimulant effects.

Dose-dependent effects

Low doses of kratom typically act as a stimulant — boosting energy and focus — whereas high doses produce sedative, analgesic and drowsiness effects, sometimes leaving users completely unresponsive.

Adverse reactions and rising concern

Clinical reports and poison control data cite agitation, sweating, dizziness, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, psychosis (in some cases), extreme drowsiness, seizure‐like unresponsiveness and, rarely, fatal overdose.

U.S. poison control centers documented 1,807 calls for kratom exposure between 2011–2017, with annual call volume increasing steadily since then, indicating growing misuse and adverse events.

Kratom vs. 7-OH

Kratom” refers to Mitragyna speciosa plant material — leaf, powder, capsules, teas, gummies or smokables — harvested from Southeast Asia and marketed as an herbal supplement.

“7-OH” (7-hydroxymitragynine) is a much stronger, concentrated alkaloid extracted or synthesized from kratom, sold in tablets, shots and gummies.

Traditional leaf use vs. “fast-food kratom”

Historically, Southeast Asian users chewed whole kratom leaves for mild stimulant and analgesic effects. Modern “fast-food kratom” refers to high-dose formulations (capsules, powders, teas, gummies, smokables) enabled by extraction and packaging technologies, which vastly increase abuse potential.

Natural tea in kava/kratom bars

Tampa Bay’s dozens of kava-style cafés — dubbed the U.S. “kava capital” — serve only kratom leaf powder brewed as tea, which researchers say most closely mirrors traditional Southeast Asian use and contains only trace, naturally occurring 7-OH levels.

Marketing & Retail

Broad retail availability

Kratom products — colored powders, capsules, gummies and energy drinks — are sold at gas stations, liquor stores, smoke shops, online, and in specialized kava/kratom bars across the country.

Youth-targeted concerns

Some kratom products use bright, candy-like packaging (gummy bears, flavored shots, colorful cans), raising concerns they’re marketed to minors.

TikTok viral incident

A TikTok clip by @yourbestimisha (19 million+ views) from July 25, 2025 shows a teen attempting to steal a wallet outside a gas station after being refused the purchase of a “Feel Free” kratom tonic.

Kratom Current Regulation

FDA’s targeted approach to 7-OH

At a July 29, 2025 press conference, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary — speaking alongside HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — announced the agency’s intent to target products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a synthetic kratom byproduct with opioid-like effects, while explicitly not pursuing regulation of whole-plant kratom leaf or traditional kratom formulations.

Plan to schedule 7-OH as an illicit substance

The FDA will initiate the formal process to have 7-OH placed under the Controlled Substances Act — if and when the DEA approves the agency’s recommendation — citing its potency and addiction potential. In late July 2025 the FDA publicly recommended that 7-OH be classified as an illicit opioid, warning that it “can be more potent than morphine” and calling for regulation and public education to prevent a resurgence of opioid misuse.

State-by-state kratom regulation (as of March 2025)

Seven jurisdictions (Alabama, Arkansas, D.C., Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin) list kratom as a controlled substance.

18 states regulate its possession, sale or manufacture; and 26 states have no legal controls or regulations on kratom at all.

Legal Challenges

Botanic Tonics’ legal settlement

Botanic Tonics (maker of the “Feel Free Classic” kratom tonic) settled an $8.75 million class-action lawsuit in early 2025 alleging it misled consumers by marketing its product as a healthy alcohol alternative.

In January 2024 it added a warning that the tonic “can become habit forming and harmful to your health if consumed irresponsibly,” and in May 2024 it imposed a strict 21-and-over purchase restriction.

Industry position on regulation

Botanic Tonics insists its Feel Free Classic tonic contains only natural leaf kratom with nearly undetectable 7-OH levels, enforces a 21+ age restriction, and has reached out to the TikToker for more information. Feel Free’s CEO Cameron Korehbandi and consumer advocates support targeted regulation of synthetic derivatives like 7-OH—while preserving access to traditional kratom, which has centuries of purported safe use.

Expert & User Perspectives

Medical and scientific viewpoints

Some people argue kratom shouldn’t be legally called an “opioid,” even though it can be just as addictive. Dr. Lief Fenno points out that, even though kratom’s chemicals aren’t the same as those in traditional opioids, it acts on the body in much the same way.

Dr. Michael Greco, an emergency doctor, adds that taking kratom can sometimes make you feel overly restless or, in very rare cases, cause you to lose touch with reality for a short time. This shows that kratom can lead to serious mental health problems in some users.

Research distinctions

University of Florida professor Chris McCurdy stresses that pure kratom tea — made from leaf powder in kava-bar settings — differs from high-potency concentrates, likening the former to “light beer” versus “Everclear.”

User experiences

Individuals like Tampa resident Cesar Calo — formerly addicted to oxycodone — credit kratom with helping them quit harder opioids and rebuild stable lives, likening daily kratom tea to drinking coffee.

Call for education

FDA Commissioner Makary and other experts are urging people to learn about kratom’s dangers now, so we don’t end up facing another opioid crisis.