FDA declares kratom an opioid as scheduling remains in limbo

The Food and Drug Administration has released an agency analysis that could put additional pressure on drug enforcement agencies to effectively ban an herbal supplement taken by people who suffer from pain, depression, and addiction.

The product in question is a Southeast Asian tree leaf known as kratom, which is currently legal under federal law. The FDA’s latest analysis, released Tuesday, included details about deaths associated with kratom and a conclusion by the agency that kratom contains some of the same components as opioids, which have caused tens of thousands of U.S. deaths annually.