Trial Lawyers and American Kratom Association Reach Agreement on Something

Amidst growing scrutiny, the American Kratom Association (AKA) has issued a warning against the use of enhanced 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) kratom products, signaling a pivotal, albeit initial, step toward greater transparency. This announcement follows longstanding criticism that the AKA has not sufficiently warned the public about the dangers of kratom products currently in the market and failed to differentiate between natural and synthetic variants of kratom, leading to serious injury and death of kratom users.

The AKA’s latest stance outlines the dangers of products with a 7-OH concentration exceeding 2% of the total alkaloid content, labeling them a significant health risk. These products, often marketed as “Advanced Kratom Alkaloids” or “7-Hydroxymitragynine+MIT,” deviate from the kratom traditionally used in Southeast Asia and the United States for centuries.

Mac Haddow, Senior Fellow on Public Policy for the AKA, emphasized the need for clarity: “It’s crucial that consumers are not deceived into using these synthetic concoctions which bear little resemblance to the kratom plant’s natural composition.” The Wetherington Law Firm, based in Atlanta, Georgia, alongside, Ashby Thelan and Lowery, agrees. The firms have been at the forefront of advocating for families harmed by kratom. The firms commended the AKA’s recent warning as a positive development in their broader mission to safeguard public health from misleading health products.

“The dissemination of clear, truthful information about kratom is essential for consumer safety and is a key component of obtaining justice for the families who have lost someone to kratom. The AKA has caused a lot of harm and is complicit in supporting bad actors like OPMS and other manufacturers. But this is a step in the right direction.” said Attorney Matt Wetherington.

Examples of products that this warning includes:

• UltraMIT
• Kraken Kratom White Gold Liquid Kratom Extract
• Super K Special Edition Blue Kratom Extract
• Platinum Kratom Extract
• Kats Botanicals’ Full-Spectrum Kratom Extracts
• Kona Kratom Extract Tablets
• Happy Hippo Kratom Taffy Chews
• Christopher’s Organic Botanicals 80% Chewable Kratom Extract Tablet
• Kraken Kratom Platinum Kratom Extract
• Kats Botanicals Tropical Mango Kratom Gummies
• Phytoextractum Maeng Da X Kratom Extract
• Top Extracts Kratom Extract Tablets 45%

The Wetherington Law Firm is also actively handling wrongful death lawsuits nationwide, addressing fatalities linked to both natural and synthetic kratom products. These cases underscore the firm’s commitment to holding manufacturers and distributors accountable and ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated.