Natural leaf kratom and lab-made kratom derivatives are being dangerously conflated in the debate over pending regulations, according to University of Connecticut pharmacy professor Dr. C. Michael White. In a recent Hartford Courant opinion piece, White stresses that traditional kratom leaf, used for decades and recently tested by the FDA at up to four times typical doses, shows tolerable safety when used responsibly. The real concern is concentrated synthetic 7‑hydroxymitragynine (7‑OH) and related isolates, which act like powerful opioids, drive addiction, and are linked to rising emergency admissions. White and the Kratom Consumer Advisory Council back a regulatory framework that bans high‑potency 7‑OH products while keeping rigorously tested natural kratom leaf available for adults who rely on it for chronic pain and opioid use disorder support. Read the full opinion in the Hartford Courant here.
Natural Kratom Leaf Isn’t the Crisis – Synthetic 7‑OH Is
