Robyn Oster, Director of Policy at The Partnership to End Addiction, returned to The Kingfisher Project to discuss the rise of kratom and why public health experts are paying closer attention to it.
Kratom is derived from a Southeast Asian plant and is now commonly sold in powders, capsules, tablets, gummies and liquid shots. Oster said the products are often found in gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops, where they are marketed as dietary supplements or wellness products.
But Oster warned that kratom contains psychoactive compounds that bind to opioid receptors in the brain, creating effects similar to opioids and carrying the potential for addiction. She said around two million Americans reported using kratom in 2024.
The conversation centered on a recent piece Oster co-authored, “The Rise of Kratom: A Dangerous and Familiar Pattern.” She said kratom is following a pattern seen before with opioids and newer hemp-derived THC products: aggressive marketing, industry resistance to regulation, products framed as natural or harmless, and a delayed government response.
Oster said policymakers do not need to start from scratch. Lessons from alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and opioids can help shape rules around kratom, including restrictions on marketing, packaging, where products can be sold and what they can contain.
The larger message: act now, before kratom becomes a bigger public health crisis.
What is Radio Catskill - The Kingfisher Project?
In 2012, Bill Williams tragically lost his son, William, to a heroin overdose at age 24. At William’s memorial, Bill, alongside his wife Margot and daughter Elizabeth Hope, pledged to combat drug abuse by educating others, improving treatment, and reducing stigma. Since then, they've spoken at various forums and published in notable outlets, including the New York Times and Harvard Health Blog.
Bill also hosts a radio/podcast show The Kingfisher Project, as part of their ongoing commitment to honor William's memory.