WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – New York could soon regulate the sale of kratom, a drug often marketed as an herbal supplement to treat pain and anxiety.
The Southeast Asian plant is sold in the form of pills, an additive in teas, and even a standalone tonic.
What the marketing usually doesn’t mention is that kratom can be addictive
In New York state, there are no laws to keep it in check.
“Kratom is widely available in convenience stores, in gas station stores, as well as in smoke shops,” said Anita Seefried-Brown, project director for Alliance for Better Communities.
Seefried-Brown says she has personally spoken with people in Watertown struggling with Kratom addiction. There are also entire online communities dedicated to trying to get off the stuff. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, higher doses can even trigger psychotic symptoms like paranoia and hallucinations.
“Because it’s so unregulated, there isn’t a dosage where one can say, “Oh, I weigh X number of pounds, so X number of milligrams of Kratom would be safe,” said Seefried-Brown.
So far, a total of 18 states have regulated Kratom in some way, and New York could be joining that list.
Two bills were delivered to the governor for her signature. One would require warning labels on kratom. The other would ban the sale of kratom to people under the age of 21. It’s a start, but Seefried-Brown doesn’t believe it does enough.
“How is that going to be enforced? There are no teeth in that piece of legislation,” she said.
Seefried-Brown isn’t calling for an outright ban, though. Rather, she wants the public to be educated about the risks involved with what they’re putting in their bodies.
Copyright 2025 WWNY. All rights reserved.