LANCASTER, Pa. — Kratom, a plant-based supplement legal in Pennsylvania, is at the center of a sharp debate between supporters and federal agencies that question its safety. Advocates argue that regulators have misrepresented the herb and largely ignored research into its potential benefits.
The American Kratom Association, a Virginia-based nonprofit founded in 2014, says millions of Americans use kratom for improved health and well-being, citing benefits such as increased energy, elevated mood and pain relief. The group acknowledges the plant can be mildly addictive but likens that risk to caffeine dependence and stresses a distinction between natural kratom and adulterated products that were once mixed with other drugs and later targeted by the DEA. Supporters say this failure to differentiate has unfairly stigmatized responsible users. Read the original report at WGAL News 8.
