PETITION TO MAKE KRATOM A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

This past May 2025, our family experienced the devastating consequences of kratom use as our son, Bradley Jones, died at age 37, of mitragynine (kratom) toxicity. We had no knowledge about this product until his sudden death. It is legal and readily available over the counter in North Carolina with neon lights flashing “KRATOM” in the front windows of most vape stores. We have learned kratom is derived from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. In the US it is unregulated with products having increasingly high concentrations of synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine. Kratom is sold as a wellness product in pill, powder and liquid form. It is largely marketed as a safe alternative to opioids for pain relief, energy, focus, and a “natural” mood boost.

In 2016, in response to increasing calls to poison control centers, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) sought to ban Kratom by making it a Schedule 1 drug. The agency was met by backlash from the American Kratom Association (AKA), a trade organization and advocacy group that supports the billion-dollar industry. Caving in from the backlash, the DEA simply listed it as a “Drug and Chemical of Concern.” Yet here we are over 10 years later, with more tragic stories, such as ours, being shared.

In a press conference on July 29, 2025, at the HHS headquarters, RFK Jr. and FDA Commissioner, Dr. Marty Makary stated “7-hydroxymitragynine is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine. There is potential for 7-OH to be abused because of its ability to bind to opioid receptors.” The Mayo Clinic states” the evidence suggests that rather than treating addiction and withdrawal, the use of kratom may lead to them. Over time, people who use kratom may develop cravings for it and need the same medications that are used to treat opioid addiction.” 

As of now, kratom is not classified under the Controlled Substance Act. In lieu of federal oversight, seven states have since banned the sale of kratom: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and most recently, Florida.
Last year representatives from NC presented House Bill 468 which recommends stricter regulations on kratom. Please sign this petition which will urge them, during this current session, to address the overwhelming science-based evidence, as the other 7 states already have, and ban this toxic substance to prevent further suffering and tragic deaths.