FDA warns against using kratom for opioid addiction

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Kratom is made from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a Southeast Asian tree related to coffee. Although it’s receiving pushback from the DEA, scientists say kratom contains alkaloids that have the potential to reduce pain without addiction.

In 2012 and 2014 the FDA placed import alerts on kratom, allowing FDA agents to detain the products at the border. U.S. Marshals have since seized thousands of pounds of raw kratom and dietary supplements.

In August 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced it would temporarily reclassify kratom as a Schedule 1 drug, a class that includes heroin and marijuana. Schedule 1 drugs are considered to have a high potential for abuse.

However, the DEA’s proposal generated public demonstrations and opposition, prompting the DEA to reverse course.

The FDA declined to say over what period the 36 deaths occurred, directing reporters to file a Freedom of Information Act request to access the data.

However, the DEA said last year that roughly 30 deaths have been reported since 2009, with most occurring since 2014.

Advocates noted that the number of deaths associated with kratom pale when compared to deaths associated with opioids, which in 2015 claimed more than 33,000 lives. President Donald Trump recently declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency.

Kratom is already a controlled substance in 16 countries, including two of its countries of origin, Thailand and Malaysia, as well as Australia, Sweden and Germany.

It is also banned in a number of U.S. states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.