You may have seen the controversy over kratom and its 7-OH compound in the news recently. What you might not know is that the squabble stems from a ginned-up campaign by one politically connected market segment trying to extinguish an innovative sector of the market. And ironically, the established kratom companies are using the same scare tactics that they only recently had to defend against.

First, the basics. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, consumers use these products “to alleviate pain, to address symptoms of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, to help stop or reduce opioid or other substance use and to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings related to opioids and other drugs.”