Kratom industry spends millions lobbying against synthetic product bans

The kratom industry has spent millions of dollars on political action committees, candidate campaigns, and lobbying efforts to prevent across-the-board bans on products containing the opioid-like supplement, according to public records reported by the New York Post. Industry groups are instead pushing lawmakers to crack down specifically on synthetic competitors. [1]

The American Kratom Association is leading the effort and has spent more than 1 million dollars on lobbyists, the New York Post reported. [1]

Kratom comes from Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea. Its leaves have been used in herbal medicine since at least the 19th century and contain multiple alkaloids that bind to opioid receptors. [2]

In the 21st century, kratom products such as powders, capsules, extracts, and teas have grown popular in Western countries as individuals self-medicate for chronic pain and opioid withdrawal symptoms. However, intensified regulatory scrutiny has highlighted risks including dependence, adverse side effects at high doses, contamination, and inconsistent potency. [3]