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According to the Mayo Clinic, kratom is “an herbal extract that comes from the leaves of an evergreen tree called Mitragyna speciosa.” The supplement — called “7OH” in its synthetic form after one of kratom’s active ingredients — comes from Southeast Asia and is known for its stimulating effects in lower doses and sedative effects in higher doses.
Kratom can have similar effects to opioids and includes psychoactive effects like hallucinations. 7OH is more potent and its presence in products is especially looked out for by regulators.
Six states have banned kratom, while seven states have labeled it as a Schedule 1 drug. West Virginia is among 25 states that have some form of Kratom regulation.
Amie Minor, the deputy commissioner of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, spoke during the committee meeting, saying that as of January 2025, “we have registered 331 kratom products and… 425 registered kratom retailers.”
Minor said that the regulation of kratom is relatively new, starting in earnest with Senate Bill 220 back in 2023. She said that, since January, 120 letters have gone to county prosecutors regarding illegal products found in stores. None have been fully pursued to their knowledge.
“We’re trying to make sure that the products left are as safe as they can be to the consumers of West Virginia,” Minor said.
Westbrook Health Services Medical Director Dr. Janelle Thomas talked about the clinician perspective on kratom use and kratom use disorder.
“It was used in the fields for workers in very hot, humid environments to combat fatigue and muscle aches. In traditional folk medicine in Southeast Asia, it was used for diarrhea, diabetes, fever, to treat pain and for wounds. But brought to the U.S., we did what we’ve done with a lot of things in the U.S., and we tried to make it bigger, faster, stronger,” Thomas said.
Those addicted to kratom are both opiate addicted and stimulant addicted, making it a particular challenge for addiction doctors.
The Mayo Clinic lists the side effects of kratom as: weight loss, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, constipation, liver damage, muscle pain, high blood pressure, confusion, seizures, dizziness, depression and most notably hallucinations and delusions.
“Many patients say it’s harder to stop kratom than fentanyl,” Thomas said.
Kratom can be found in vape shops, on the internet and even in some drinks as an alcohol alternative. While deaths have been linked to the drug, the majority of reported deaths involved victims who had a variety of substances in their system besides kratom.
Next to the podium was a man who shared his own experience with kratom use and addiction.
“So, I was told by a friend who had actually went to a concert promoting non-alcoholic beverages to try this wonderful drink called kratom that was non-habit-forming. It was in the same family as coffee. I had to try it,” the man said. “Tried it, loved it, gave me energy, it took away my anxiety. I didn’t realize what I was taking until about probably two months later once I first experienced withdrawal.”
He said it was like all the side effects of opioid withdrawal.
“I went to Columbus to a kratom dispensary to ask for help, and I said ‘I’m withdrawing’ and this person, the owner, said ‘that’s not possible’ and actually gave me more,” the man said.
He also said his employers didn’t test for mitragynine, another major active ingredient in kratom, which kept his use of the drug undiscovered.
Josh Barker, director of substance abuse prevention and outreach for the state attorney general, said he has seen some cases of kratom addiction come up in rehab centers in West Virginia.
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