Cheltenham Township Emergency Medical Services staff announced today that a substance called Kratom is being sold as a supplement at smoke shops, gas stations, and online.

According to their announcement, Kratom is “a naturally occurring plant that has been used as a ‘natural’ alternative to some preventative addiction medications” and has been linked to 14 known cases of overdose in Montgomery County.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in late July that “it is taking a bold step to protect Americans from dangerous, illegal opioids by recommending a scheduling action to control certain 7-hydroxymitragynine (also known as 7-OH ) products under the Controlled Substances Act.”

The FDA’s memo notes that “there are no drug products containing kratom or its two main chemical components that are legally on the market in the U.S. FDA has not approved any prescription or over-the-counter drug products containing kratom or its two main chemical components, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH-mitragynine).”

In May, the Thalia Medical Center (Narberth) launched a Change.org petition titled “Ban Recreational Kratom Usage in Montgomery County, PA”. Governor Josh Shapiro of Abington Township, the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, and Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday are named in the petition as “Decision Makers”.

From Cheltenham EMS’ notice:

These ‘supplements’ are not tested or regulated by the FDA. Kratom triggers the same brain receptors as opioids, has a high addiction potential, and, like opioids, can cause respiratory distress/arrest, seizures, agitation, and hallucinations.  Kratom has been called “gas station heroin” in reference to these effects.

Kratom intake has also been linked to heavy metal exposure and salmonella outbreaks.

Consumers, be advised: In marketing a substance as a supplement, manufacturers do not have to provide evidence to the FDA that a supplement works as advertised. They can make claims such as “supports immune health” or “promotes heart health,” but these claims do not require scientific proof, as long as the claims are accompanied by the disclaimer: “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”  Further, the FDA bears the burden of proof to show that a supplement is unsafe before it can be removed from the market, which can be a long and difficult process.

These synthetic supplements are being marketed as gummies, powders, tablets, capsules, liquid shots, and flavored drinks. Please have conversations with your loved ones about the dangers of these products.

For more information, you can read the DEA’s fact sheet below:

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