The debate over kratom has intensified following the Tampa Bay Times' "Deadly Dose" investigation and the subsequent rebuttal by the American Kratom Association (AKA). We will dissect the arguments, scrutinize the claims, and explore the undercurrents of this controversy without taking sides, instead focusing on the facts.
The Tampa Bay Times' Investigation
The "Deadly Dose" series by the Tampa Bay Times is a three-part investigation into the kratom industry that highlights concerns over the substance's safety and regulatory oversight. The investigation touches on the increasing potency of kratom products, the industry's influence, and the alleged inadequacy of existing regulations to ensure consumer safety. The series has sparked significant attention, leading to legislative proposals and a broader discussion on the need for more stringent consumer protections.
Increasing Dangers of Kratom
The first article of the Deadly Dose series focuses on the increasing danger of kratom. One reason that kratom is more dangerous today than ever before, according to the article, is the competition that brands have between one another to create and market the strongest product possible, but without any checks and balances to ensure that it remains safe. “Companies often compete to make the most potent concoction”, and while this is not inherently dangerous, it can become so if products aren’t properly tested and consumers aren’t adequately warned.
In performing their own tests on kratom products, the Tampa Bay Times found that “package labels varied widely. Five had no information about ingredients. Eleven had no dosing instructions. Thirteen had no details about potency” and “several of the products tested by the Times contained what experts consider to be high levels of mitragynine and other alkaloids, including one called speciociliatine that companies failed to identify and quantify on package labels.” They also highlighted one specific product, K Shot Black, which “contained 114 milligrams of mitragynine and 24 milligrams of speciociliatine. Neither amount was listed on the bottle.” The article then ties this competition for potency to an increase in the number of kratom-related deaths in the past 10 years. The overall message is that kratom is far more potent, addictive and unregulated than ever before.
Lack of Regulation
In the second article of the Deadly Dose series, the Tampa Bay Times explores the regulatory space and criticizes the American Kratom Association (AKA) for its role in being lax and not genuinely protective of consumers. One issue is that they have also done very little to ensure that the industry and its consumers remain safe, for example highlighting the total lack of transparency that kratom products are required to have with their ingredients, or the lobbying of laws that allow the sale of kratom without safety measures like clear dosing instructions or potency limits. ‘“It’s totally a wild, wild west market. Buyer beware,” said Christopher McCurdy, a kratom researcher at the University of Florida. “You never know what you’re going to get in this business.”
Even so, the FDA has made some attempts at regulation, such as issuing warning letters and blocking shipments, but those have not been sufficient to control the market. Finally, the article highlights the historical context of the AKA's lobbying efforts, comparing them to the dietary supplement industry's tactics in the 1990s. This comparison illustrates how the AKA has managed to navigate and influence regulatory frameworks to benefit the kratom industry. Despite ongoing scientific debates about kratom's safety and potential benefits, the lack of comprehensive regulation continues to pose risks to consumers.
Supply Chain Secrecy
In the Tampa Bay Times’ final article, they trace the complex and secretive supply chain of kratom from Indonesia to the U.S., focusing on the popular brand O.P.M.S. The investigation reveals how kratom products travel thousands of miles and pass through numerous companies to evade regulatory scrutiny. Farmers in Indonesia harvest the leaves, which are then processed and shipped to the U.S., often mislabeled to avoid detection by the FDA. "The industry has grown to a $1.5 billion market, with more than 4,000 tons of kratom imported monthly," highlighting the scale of the operations.
One key point is the role of secrecy and misrepresentation in the supply chain. The article mentions that workers in a Colorado factory, where kratom is processed into potent extracts, often didn’t know what substance they were handling. Employees were coached on what to say if regulators visited, with instructions to "keep talk minimal" and "remember, less is more."
Workers handling kratom in the U.S. reported experiencing opioid-like withdrawal symptoms and were not informed about the potential dangers. Despite these risks, the kratom industry continues to expand, driven by high demand and profits.
The American Kratom Association's Stance
The American Kratom Association (AKA) has fiercely criticized the Tampa Bay Times' piece, calling it a “dishonest, click-bait, sensationalized, anti-kratom series”. In their response, author Mac Haddow harshly reviews the investigation and highlights some key areas he feels the narrative is dishonest.
Bias and Unbalanced Reporting
Haddow accuses the Tampa Bay Times of publishing a sensationalized, one-sided anti-kratom series, ignoring positive testimonies from consumers. This, he says, is a viewpoint that’s influenced by the FDA’s long-standing negative portrayal of kratom. Haddow also asserts that this is a journalistic technique used to create sensationalist headlines and click-bait.
Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA)
Haddow emphasizes the importance of the KCPA in ensuring the safety of kratom products by banning adulterated and unsafe substances, contrasting it with the lack of federal regulation by the FDA. He also advocates for kratom regulation based on scientific evidence and emphasizes the need for the FDA to enforce existing regulations to protect consumers from adulterated kratom products. Whereas the Times accuses the AKA of supporting a wild-west ecosystem full of unregulated products, Haddow pushes back that the Times "completely misses the point” and reaffirms the AKA’s support of regulation to keep consumers safe.
Kratom-Only Deaths Misrepresented
Haddow challenges the accuracy of the reported "kratom-only" deaths, arguing they were based on incomplete toxicology screens and disputing the legitimacy of the claims. He argues that the FDA has not substantiated its claims about kratom's dangers, despite its persistent narrative against kratom, and that this figure is another example of a misleading narrative. Haddow claims that the Times ignored offers to conduct further testing on the blood samples of these cases, demonstrating bias in their coverage.
FDA Inaction and Court Cases
Haddow highlights that the FDA has refused to testify under oath about the dangers of kratom in court, undermining the basis of the Times’ claims about kratom's risks. There is a key contradiction at play here, according to the AKA, where the Times is heavily reliant on the viewpoint of the FDA in using it as an authority figure in espousing the dangers of kratom, and yet the FDA legally refuses to go on record with that stance.
Involvement of Trial Attorneys
Finally, Haddow questions the involvement of trial attorneys in the investigative series, suggesting that their financial incentives may have influenced the narrative, further eroding the credibility of the Times' investigation. For example, he points to a social media post where a trial attorney boasted of funding “impartial kratom research” and claims that these attorneys were influencing the narrative for financial gain, as they benefit from lawsuits against kratom manufacturers. Haddow believes this partnership between the newspaper and trial attorneys compromised the integrity of the reporting.
Conclusion
In summary, the Tampa Bay Times dealt a blow to the kratom industry with its investigation that illustrated the mounting danger, frightening lack of regulation and obfuscated supply chain specifics of the industry. This investigation, conducted over the course of months and supported by several key data points and well known organizations such as the FDA, seemed to provide a solid foundation illustrating the dangers of the kratom industry.
However, the American Kratom Association shot back with its own response, criticizing the piece for being biased and misrepresentative of the facts. They expose some of the holes in the the Times arguments and point out that there may be financial incentives at play that lead to a sensationalized and dishonest view of the market - the Times 3-part series is not an investigation, but financially backed propaganda, if author Mac Haddow is to be believed.
After having read both sides’ arguments, one thing that stood out to me was the callout that the Times may have used faulty data-driven arguments to support a point. Next week, I’ll explore the veracity of this argument by digging into the data used and narratives represented. This objective assessment of the use of data by the Times will help uncover potential bias and see whether they are representing the numbers honestly.
Citations:
TBT #1: Hundreds died using kratom in Florida. It was touted as safe.
TBT #2: As dangerous kratom products go unregulated, lobbyists write the laws
TBT #3: Kratom’s path across the US is marked by deception and secrets
AKA: Open Letter to the Tampa Bay Times
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice or to substitute professional healthcare guidance. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new health regimen or supplement, including kratom.