From herbal remedy to ‘gas station heroin’: What is kratom and why is the US worried about it?

A herbal product once associated mainly with traditional medicine in Southeast Asia has become the focus of growing concern among US health and law-enforcement officials. Sold in forms ranging from powders and capsules to gummies, shots and drink mixes, kratom and its more potent derivatives are increasingly available in convenience stores, gas stations, smoke shops and online.

The controversy has intensified around a compound called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, prompting some US officials and local authorities to use the phrase “gas station heroin” to describe highly concentrated products.

The term is colloquial rather than a scientific classification. Kratom is not heroin, but some concentrated kratom-derived products can produce opioid-like effects and carry risks of dependence and withdrawal.

What exactly is kratom? 

Kratom is the common name for the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. The plant has traditionally been used in countries such as Thailand and Malaysia, where its leaves have been chewed or brewed into drinks.

Kratom contains numerous alkaloids, with mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) receiving most of the scientific attention.

These compounds interact with opioid receptors in the brain. The effects can vary depending on the amount consumed. Lower amounts may produce stimulant-like effects, while higher amounts can produce sedation and opioid-like effects.

Kratom has been marketed in the US for purposes including pain relief, relaxation, mood enhancement and managing symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal. But the US Food and Drug Administration has not approved kratom or 7-OH as a medication for any medical use.

Why are officials calling it ‘gas station heroin’? 

The phrase has increasingly been used to describe potent 7-OH products, rather than ordinary dried kratom leaves. That distinction is important.

7-OH occurs naturally in kratom leaves, but only in relatively small amounts. Concerns have grown over commercial products in which 7-OH is concentrated or added at elevated levels. These products can appear as tablets, capsules, gummies, powders, liquid shots and dissolvable strips.

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has described concentrated 7-OH products as potent opioid-like products and warned consumers to avoid them. The agency says such products have been found for sale at gas stations, smoke shops, corner stores and online.

The issue has become serious enough to trigger federal action. In July 2026, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced a process to temporarily place 7-OH above a specified threshold into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The action also targeted three related synthetic compounds — mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16.

The DEA's action specifically distinguishes these concentrated or synthetic products from botanical kratom containing naturally occurring 7-OH below the specified threshold.

How dangerous is kratom? 

The risks are not limited to 7-OH. The FDA warns that kratom use has been associated with serious adverse events including liver toxicity, seizures and substance-use disorder.

It has also received reports involving withdrawal and physical dependence. Some kratom products have been found to contain contaminants such as Salmonella or concerning levels of heavy metals.

There is also an important complication in interpreting deaths linked to kratom: many involved other substances.

A major CDC analysis published in March 2026 found 14,449 kratom exposure reports to US poison centres between 2015 and 2025. Reports increased from 258 in 2015 to a record 3,434 in 2025 — an increase of about 1,200%.

The CDC recorded 233 deaths associated with kratom exposures during the period. However, 184, or 79%, involved multiple substances. Opioids were involved in 62% of those fatalities, while benzodiazepines, stimulants and alcohol were also reported among deaths.

That means the data show a growing safety problem, but they do not establish that kratom alone caused every reported death.

Why 7-OH is drawing particular attention 

Scientists and regulators are increasingly separating ordinary kratom from highly concentrated 7-OH products.

The FDA says 7-OH binds to opioid receptors and has more potent opioid-like activity than mitragynine. Concentrated products can therefore expose consumers to levels substantially different from those found naturally in the plant.

The agency has warned about products marketed as gummies, tablets, drink mixes and shots, some of which are sold with claims relating to pain, anxiety, mood or opioid withdrawal.

There are currently no FDA-approved 7-OH products, and the agency says such products have not been demonstrated to be safe or effective for those uses.

The FDA has also highlighted concerns including addiction, withdrawal symptoms, seizures, gastrointestinal problems, anxiety and depression associated with 7-OH products.

Why is kratom so widely available? 

One reason for the controversy is the gap between availability and federal approval.

Kratom products can look more like ordinary consumer goods than conventional illicit drugs. They may be sold as herbal products, supplements, teas, powders, gummies or small “shots”.

At the same time, regulation varies considerably across the US. Some states have banned kratom or particular kratom compounds, while others have introduced age restrictions, manufacturing standards, labelling requirements or limits on 7-OH concentrations.

This fragmented regulatory landscape has made the rapidly evolving market harder to monitor.

Bigger concern: Changing kratom market 

For officials, the issue is increasingly less about a traditional plant preparation and more about high-potency, concentrated and chemically modified products entering the consumer market.

The CDC's poison-centre data show that kratom-related reports have risen sharply, particularly in 2025, while severe outcomes were more common when multiple substances were involved.

The FDA has also warned that the commercial market can contain products whose composition is very different from traditional kratom leaf. In 2026, federal regulators moved against several synthetic or highly concentrated kratom-derived compounds, reflecting concern that the market could evolve faster than conventional drug-safety oversight.