National Campaign Launches to Safeguard Natural Kratom, Target Synthetic Threats

A new national campaign led by the Kratom Research Institute (KRI) is urging federal regulators to protect consumer access to natural kratom while cracking down on dangerous synthetic imitators. The initiative specifically targets 7-hydroxymitragynine (7OH), a potent synthetic compound being sold as kratom in tablet form—often without oversight, quality testing, or age restrictions.

KRI’s petition calls for 7OH to be regulated like any other synthetic drug, warning that the vast majority of 7OH products on the market are not derived from the kratom plant but are chemically manufactured. “We support responsible access to kratom. But 7OH products being sold as kratom are synthetic and dangerous,” said Ryan Niddel, KRI’s executive director.

The campaign also includes a public survey to gather stories from those affected by both natural and synthetic kratom products. For more details, read the full story at The Herald Journal.