Kratom Extracts Sold at Gas Stations Catch the Eye of Federal Officials

The federal government is taking a closer look at certain products made from a plant called kratom. These products are sold at gas stations and tobacco shops across the country. The Drug Enforcement Administration, known as the DEA, announced plans to temporarily ban some highly concentrated chemicals found in these products. Officials are worried that these substances may be harmful and have no proven medical use.

Kratom is a plant that comes from Southeast Asia. In its natural form, it has been sold legally in many parts of the United States as an herbal product. However, some manufacturers have created much stronger versions of certain chemicals found in the plant. These concentrated chemicals, such as one called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, are far more powerful than what naturally occurs in the plant itself.

The DEA wants to place four specific kratom-derived chemicals under a legal category called Schedule I. Drugs in this category are considered to have no accepted medical use and a high chance of being misused. This temporary ban would not affect the basic herbal form of kratom that is already sold in stores. The agency is focused only on the lab-made, highly concentrated versions.

Kratom's legal status is different depending on where you live in the United States. Nine states have completely banned the herb. More than 30 other states allow it but have some rules, like limits on how strong the products can be. In more than a dozen states, kratom exists in a legal gray area, meaning it is not banned but not closely watched either.

A professor at the University of Florida who studies medicinal chemistry says the DEA's move makes sense. Oliver Grundmann told The Hill that these concentrated products are very different from natural kratom. He explained that for a substance to have a medical use, it must go through a strict approval process run by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. Since the companies making these products have not done that, he believes placing them on the controlled substances list is the right step.

These strong kratom products have been available at gas stations and tobacco shops since around 2010. Even though the chemicals in them are found only in tiny amounts in the natural plant, manufacturers have found ways to concentrate them to much higher levels. Some people call these products gas station opioids because of their powerful effects. Federal lawmakers have also grown concerned about how easy it is for anyone to buy them without a prescription.