What Is 7-OH Kratom — and Why Are Healthcare Providers Worried About a Possible Ban?

What is 7-OH kratom — and why are healthcare providers worried about a possible ban?

Walk into any Minnesota gas station or smoke shop and you are bound to see kratom — from colorful seltzer cans to simple white powder bags or capsules — on shelves or locked behind clear displays. Kratom is derived from Mitragyna speciosa, a tree found in Southeast Asia. Sold in the form of powder, capsules and drinks, the substance is used as a recreational drug, as well as to self-treat pain, anxiety and opioid use disorder and withdrawal, acc…

This Popular Herb Is Part of a Billion-Dollar Industry Sold at Convenience Stores. Now Regulators Want to Ban It.

Kratom is legal, but largely unregulated. A surge in overdoses has led regulators in several states to move toward outright bans.