Kratom's Growing Popularity Sparks Health and Safety Concerns

For folks who seek help with pain management and are tired of traditional medicine, Kratom might just be the thing. But some argue that it can be lethal.

Kratom is a substance derived from the dried leaves of a tropical Southeast Asian tree and has gained popularity in part because of its reported opiate-like effects. Kratom is consumed either in drinks as a cold cocktail or tea. Despite Kratom’s positive effects, like relieving anxiety and pain, it has potentially deadly side effects as well. 

In one case, a West Palm Beach woman consuming Kratom collapsed and died in June 2021. Krystal Talavera, a 39-year-old mother of four, died from acute intoxication from mitragynine, the active substance in kratom. In another case, Patrick Coyne, also 39, consumed kratom and died in June 2020. His loved ones thought the Washington state father of three, was asleep but he had stopped breathing the day before. 

Florida legislators are taking steps toward regulating kratom. Unlike over-the-counter medicine, kratom is easily accessible as it is sold at local gas stations, labeled Feel Free and bottled by Botanical Tonics. Feel Free contains kratom and is sold for $6.99. Gas stations also offer powdered kratom in sealed bags, priced by the gram.

As more wrongful death suits have been filed, Florida legislators have been trying to regulate kratom. In 2023, they passed HB 179, which stops the sale of kratom to anyone under the age of 21. SB 842, which would have brought about tighter regulations as part of the Florida Kratom Consumer Protection Act, died in committee in March. 

Kratom has addictive properties, medical experts say. Some users have developed “moderate to severe kratom dependence, commonly experienced withdrawal symptoms, including loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, hot flashes, diarrhea,” according to American Addiction Centers, a national addiction center based in Tennessee.

Regardless of the controversy surrounding kratom consumption and regulations, fans consider it a recreational substance, one that's been popular in South Florida for years. 

The Nak is a small establishment located in Boca Raton, specializing in kratom while also being a hangout spot for local kratom enthusiasts. The hardwood countertop bar is accompanied by stylish colorful LEDs. Playing a mix of low-beat music in the background, creating a calm ambiance, the Nak bills itself as one of the first kratom bars in North America. The Nak allows customers to bring in their dogs while visiting the bar, even hosting birthdays and watch events.  

“Often, the crowd is that very same friend group that started this place—straight and simple kava and kratom, traditional to how they consume it in the islands: no mixers, no blenders,” said Brie McDonnel, a 25-year-old bartender at the Nak. 

Other kratom and kava establishments prefer to offer mixed cocktails of kratom. Kavasutra in downtown Lake Worth promotes a house mixed drink, Stingers, that includes Shane's Addiction, their own homemade kratom concentrate. 

Many smoke shops such as LIFTOFF in downtown Boca Raton sell kratom by concentrate. Often these bottles are no bigger than 8 militer bottles. “I have people come in from open to close, multiple times a day for kratom shots. They spend $16 to $20 per bottle and buy about five or six at a time,” said Victoria Connolly, 21,  a junior cannabis consultant at LIFTOFF. “I can understand why people like the feeling of relaxation it gives you, but it makes you feel sick, it’s not for me.”

While legislators struggle with how much to regulate the substance, health and safety experts have some concerns about how much kratom is safe to imbibe, if at all. Since 2012, the Food and Drug Administration has taken a number of actions related to kratom, the Centers for Disease Control noted in a 2019 press release. Moreover, the Drug Enforcement Administration identifies kratom as a drug of concern. A Washington Post investigation earlier this year tracked kratom-related deaths and said the substance was listed “as contributing to or causing at least 4,100 deaths in 44 states and D.C. between 2020 and 2022.” But the Post also found that the vast majority of those cases involved other drugs in addition to kratom.

Even devotees warn consumers to be diligent about where they purchase kratom from. “You need to buy your kratom from a trusted retailer or reseller so you know it hasn’t been tampered with,” said Connolly, “or if it's been cut with a cheaper chemical process to save a few bucks during production.”

As more Kratom-oriented bars open up, legislators will probably take this issue up again in the near future. For example, Mitra9, a popular canned drink of kratom often found at smoke shops and served at kratom bars, is increasingly available. After expanding nationally in the last year, the Ft. Myers-based company is now looking to operate on a larger scale with franchised bars, and selling Mitra9 at convenience stores. Although they have four to five grams of kratom in each can, they look no different from the seltzers and bubbly energy drinks that are now about 16-18% of the nonalcoholic beverage category.