The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress
Kratom products can be seen at gas stations, vape shops or online. Marketed as “natural” and often sold in forms such as powders, capsules and gummies, kratom is gaining popularity in the U.S. among teens. But while it comes from a plant, that doesn’t make it safe.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is concerned about kratom and continues to investigate its health effects. The FDA has banned its import into the United States but did not have enough evidence to officially classify it as a controlled substance. So, it can still be manufactured and sold in the U.S.
At higher doses, kratom reduces anxiety and causes sleepiness, the way strong pain drugs like opioids (heroin or fentanyl) do. In fact, like opioids, it can cause people to stop breathing at higher doses. It can also cause liver damage, hallucinations, and convulsions or seizures. Kratom has caused or contributed to dozens of deaths in the U.S. in the past decade.
Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-kratom-parents-risky-substance.html