Experts and social media users are alerting the public about ‘Feel Free’ tonics and other items that include kratom, a chemical that resembles opioids, as per NBC News.
This comes as FDA warns that products made from kratom, a plant found in Southeast Asia, are becoming more common in gas stations, corner stores, and vape shops countrywide.
The drug is frequently used to “self-treat conditions such as pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety and depression, opioid use disorder, and opioid withdrawal,” the FDA stated.
University of Minnesota Medical School addiction medicine specialist Dr. Robert Levy told NBC News that he has “many times” handled patients who became addicted to kratom.
Also Read: Kratom rise sparks concerns over addiction amid RFK Jr’s 7-OH crackdown; What is it and how it impacts your health
What is kava or kratom?
Although kava and/or kratom-based drinks have been promoted as mood enhancers and energy boosters, some customers claim that the items are causing addiction.
If kava is used frequently to treat anxiety, stress, or sleep issues, people may become psychologically dependent on it. According to Crestview Recovery, this might result in increased tolerance, minor withdrawal symptoms, compulsive usage, responsibility neglect, and trouble cutting back on use.
Warnings spread on TikTok about ‘Feel Free’ drinks
Last month, TikToker Misha Brown shared a video that went viral, showing how a child approached him at a petrol station and requested him to buy a Feel Free tonic, a kratom-containing beverage. Brown claimed that after he declined, the boy attempted to take his wallet but was unsuccessful in his attempt.
The clerk at the gas station then informed Brown that she frequently witnesses the same consumers purchasing the same beverage several times throughout the day. “It’s so addictive, and people lose their minds,” Brown claimed the cashier informed him.
Speaking about the viral video, Brown told NBC News, individuals started sharing their own “devastating experiences” after using kratom products like Feel Free.
John, a TikToker who has shared content on Feel Free after battling with heroin and meth addictions, claimed to have found the tonic when he was eight years sober.
NBC News John in a bid to preserve his identity.
John admitted to the source that he developed an addiction and started devouring entire Feel Free cases in a single day.
In February, he was admitted to the hospital for severe withdrawal symptoms as he attempted to stop using Feel Free.
Feel Free tonics are supplied in two-ounce containers. A serving size is one ounce, according to the label, and consumers should not take more than two ounces in a 24-hour period, according to NBC News. In addition, the label cautions that the product can lead to habit formation and suggests that people who have previously abused substances should think twice before using it.
Here’s what Botanic Tonics said
Botanic Tonics, the company that produces Feel Free, said in a statement to The Independent that the NBC News piece featured “false and misleading statements” and that they had not received any complaints about serious addiction.
Earlier, Botanic Tonics settled a class action lawsuit alleging the firm failed to alert users about the risks of kratom in 2023 for $8.75 million. The company settled the claim without acknowledging any wrongdoing.
Ban on kratom products in Louisiana. Are items made from kava prohibited in the state?
The Louisiana House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 154 (SB154), which would outlaw the distribution and possession of kratom.
The House cleared SB154 by a vote of 87 to 6. Since the Senate has already approved the bill, it now needs to be signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry.
SB154 would designate mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine as Schedule 1 drugs, which are chemicals that are currently not approved for use in medicine in the United States and are thought to have a high potential for misuse. According to the bill, it would also make it illegal to produce, distribute, or possess kratom.
Although Louisiana has implemented laws pertaining to the distribution and possession of kratom, the state has not outlawed the sale of kava products. Nonetheless, several parishes have imposed local prohibitions, and state-level rules have been put into effect.
