The hidden danger of kratom: Two grieving mothers expose the deadly truth behind the 'natural' supplement

Time of India

2 days ago

In recent years, kratom has emerged as a popular so-called 'natural' remedy, praised by its users for easing anxiety, pain, and even aiding in recovery from opioid addiction. Available in gas stations, wellness shops, and online stores across the United States, it is sold in the form of powders, capsules, gummies, and drinks.
Its appeal lies in its plant-based origin and accessibility. But behind the glossy marketing and herbal branding lies a darker truth, one that two grieving mothers are now fighting to expose.
Pam Mauldin's son, 37-year-old Jordan McKibban, died in April 2022 after consuming kratom in a seemingly harmless way by mixing a spoonful of the powder into a glass of lemonade after work. A resident of Washington state, Jordan was a health-conscious man who worked at an organic food distributor and avoided even ibuprofen for his arthritis.
He loved cooking, being outdoors, and was planning a future with a woman he had fallen in love with.
He dreamed of starting a family.
But that dream ended abruptly in his bathroom. His mother found him lifeless, the result of mitragynine toxicity an active compound in kratom that behaves like an opioid. She performed CPR on her son, but it was too late. 'He shouldn't be in the cemetery,' Mauldin told The New York Post in an exclusive report published August 6, 2025.
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'I've lost my son. I've lost the grandchildren I could have had. I've lost the joy of watching him grow into the man he was becoming.
'
Mauldin is now part of a growing number of Americans pushing for stricter regulation or an outright ban on kratom. Her wrongful death lawsuit claims that kratom is 63 times more deadly than other natural supplements legally sold to consumers. She finds it deeply frustrating that products like lettuce or potato chips are pulled from shelves over minor safety concerns, yet kratom remains widely available despite documented fatalities.
Kratom is made from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia. In lower doses, it stimulates the body. In higher doses, it acts as a sedative—just like opioids. According to the FDA, kratom is not legally marketed in the U.S. as a dietary supplement or food additive, yet it continues to thrive in the gray zones of commerce. One major concern is that kratom products are not required to go through quality control checks, meaning consumers have no assurance about what they are actually ingesting.
Doctors like Dr. Robert Levy, an addiction specialist and professor at the University of Minnesota, warn that kratom's addictive potential is dangerously underestimated. 'People can become addicted to it, have withdrawal from it, and overdose on it,' Levy told The Post. 'There's a belief that because something is 'natural,' it must be safe. But arsenic is natural too.'
The problem is amplified by a newer, more potent version of kratom circulating in the market: 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH.
This synthetic kratom variant is more powerful than morphine and even more addictive. The FDA has recently recommended classifying 7-OH as an illicit substance. Dr. Marty Makary, the FDA Commissioner, stated, 'We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.
'
Jennifer Young, a mother from Columbus, Ohio, also knows the pain kratom can inflict. Her 27-year-old son, Johnny Loring, began using kratom for anxiety.
Like many others, Young didn't think much of it after reading online that it was a 'natural, safe alternative.' Loring was a delivery driver who loved fishing and playing guitar. 'Everybody loved Johnny,' she said. 'He was the kind of guy who would give you the last dollar in his pocket.
'
Then he started having seizures. Doctors didn't connect them to kratom and referred him to a seizure clinic. He never made it. During a family mushroom-hunting trip, he collapsed and died.
The toxicology report revealed high levels of mitragynine and gabapentin in his system.
After his death, Young found nearly 20 packs of kratom hidden in his room. He would mix the powder into orange juice. She had no idea how addicted he had become. 'The level of kratom shocked me,' she said. 'It made my gut sick.'
Young, too, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. But her focus is not on the financial settlement. 'There's no amount of money I could put on my child's life,' she said.
After losing Johnny, she spent a year in bed and began taking antidepressants. Her other children have struggled with mental health in the aftermath. Christmas was 'miserable,' she said. 'Our house is silent now. The void of Johnny is just loud.'
Despite these tragic stories, kratom remains largely unregulated. From 2011 to 2017, poison control centers recorded over 1,800 calls related to kratom. Physicians say that number has only gone up.
Dr. Michael Greco, an emergency medicine doctor, told The Post that patients on kratom often arrive at the hospital with agitation, psychosis, dizziness, elevated blood pressure, or are completely unresponsive.
For now, grieving families are doing what the federal government has not: warning the public. They want parents, teenagers, and health-conscious consumers to understand that 'natural' does not mean harmless.
Both Mauldin and Young believed their sons were making responsible choices. Both were wrong.
As these cases show, kratom is not the safe, plant-based wonder product it is made out to be. It is an addictive substance with the potential to destroy lives. Regulation is long overdue. Until that happens, awareness is the only defense parents and families have. As Mauldin put it: 'He didn't even like to take ibuprofen. That's the kind of man he was.
He trusted what was on the label. And now he's gone.'
How does kratom affect the body? The wisdom
Kratom, a lush tree native to Southeast Asia, has come a content of heated discussion in heartiness circles, indispensable drug forums, and nonsupervisory debates. In regions like Thailand and Indonesia, the factory's leaves have long been used by sloggers seeking relief from physical strain or internal fatigue. Over the once decade, its dried or pulverized form has gained traction in Western requests, frequently promoted as a natural remedy for pain, anxiety, and low energy.
Yet, the line between benefit and detriment is thin. Kratom's impact on the mortal body isn't only complex, it's also changeable, especially in the absence of regulation.
How the body responds?
Kratom generally begins working within half an hour of ingestion. The peak of its goods generally hits within two hours and may last up to five or six. During this time, the body may suffer a conspicuous shift in energy or mood.
Common short- term goods include
Increased energy and talkativeness( low boluses)
Muscle relaxation and pain relief( high boluses)
A calmer or further balanced mood
Mild swoon or internal clarity
jacked focus or bettered work performance
Not all gests are positive. Indeed moderate use has touched off side goods in some individualities
Nausea or puking
Dizziness or blurred vision
Sot mouth or sweating
Trouble concentrating
Fatigue after the goods wear off
These symptoms may vary depending on body weight, general health, former exposure to instigations, and whether kratom is taken alone or with other substances.
The current medical station
Kratom's legal status varies across regions. In the U.S., it remains legal under civil law but is confined or banned in certain countries. The FDA has expressed concern about its eventuality for abuse, while others argue that banning kratom outright could push druggies toward more dangerous synthetic opioids.
Medical professionals generally advise caution. Until large- scale studies clarify kratom's long- term impact, especially on the liver, brain, and heart, it's wise to treat the factory as a serious pharmacological agent not just a herbal tea.
Kratom is neither a panacea nor a substance to be taken smoothly. Its goods on the mortal body can be remedial in some cases and dangerous in others. As the heartiness assiduity continues to experiment with natural druthers, kratom sits at a critical crossroads, promising for some, problematic for numerous. Anyone considering its use should speak to a certified healthcare provider and insure they're sourcing it from a estimable supplier, if at all.
Source of the case: The New York Post, "Our sons died taking an 'all-natural' supplement you can buy at gas stations people don't realize it's so addictive and dangerous", August 6, 2025. ( source of image Pinterest)
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