The Kratom Civil War Is Heating Up, and MAHA Has Picked a Side
The kratom industry is facing internal conflict over the rise of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a potent extract that some advocates argue is an opioid masquerading as a natural supplement. Industry groups are divided on whether to support a ban on these concentrates to protect the reputation of the broader kratom market.
Why it matters
Highlights the regulatory challenges and public health debates surrounding the rapidly evolving supplement and alternative medicine industry.
Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story A decade ago, kratom advocates fought a surprisingly successful campaign against a proposed Drug Enforcement Administration ban that claimed the obscure Southeast Asian plant posed “an imminent hazard to public safety.”
Presents multiple viewpoints from industry lobbyists and consumer reports without taking a definitive stance.
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