Six months after ban, kratom remains a concern for local clinicians

NORTH CANAAN — Six months after Connecticut outlawed kratom — a substance made from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree and sold in smoke shops, gas stations and convenience stores for its stimulant and opioid-like effects — treatment providers say they continue to see people struggling with dependence and withdrawal.

At Mountainside Treatment Center in North Canaan, medical director Karen O’Flynn said more patients are seeking treatment for dependence on 7-OH, a potent compound derived from kratom.

“Here at Mountainside Treatment Center we are seeing a definite increase in the number of admissions for the treatment of 7-OH dependence, though we cannot know whether that is a direct result of the ban,” O’Flynn said.

Short for 7-hydroxymitragynine, 7-OH acts on the brain’s opioid receptors. Concentrated products containing the compound can cause tolerance, dependence and withdrawal.

The increase in treatment began before the ban. Mountainside recorded 184 admissions involving kratom use in 2025, up from 67 in 2024, The Lakeville Journal reported in March. Clinicians warned then that people already dependent on kratom could experience withdrawal if they suddenly lost access to it.

Connecticut classified kratom — including its leaves, stems and extracts, and 7-OH — as a Schedule I controlled substance effective March 25. Possessing or selling the product in the state is prohibited.

Access across state lines

The ban was quickly visible in North Canaan. The Lakeville Journal found that two local smoke shops had removed kratom from their shelves. Nevertheless, residents could still find it minutes away across the New York or Massachusetts borders.

That changed on the Massachusetts side Aug. 28, when a temporary one-year ban on all forms of kratom took effect. Four retailers have sued to block the measure, arguing that it treats traditional kratom leaf the same as concentrated or synthetic 7-OH products. The ban remains in effect while the case proceeds. New York continues to allow regulated adult sales of kratom.

“It’s not like Montana, where you have to drive four hours to get to another state,” said Jana Wu, Mountainside’s director of clinical integration.

Wu said she has heard from people obtaining kratom across state lines and online. Mountainside’s weekly clinician-led “Let’s Talk Kratom” support group draws participants from New York, she said, and its detox program is treating a growing number of people for kratom dependence.

Wu said Mountainside recorded a 50% increase in kratom-related treatment cases from March through September. She cautioned that the center cannot determine whether Connecticut’s ban caused the increase.

Some people who were already dependent on kratom may have sought treatment after the ban disrupted their supply and they began experiencing withdrawal. Mountainside cannot say whether that explains the rise. Wu said other possible factors include growing use, more potent products and greater recognition of kratom-related problems.

Mountainside’s numbers reflect people seeking care at the center, not kratom use throughout the Northwest Corner. Wu’s 50% figure covers kratom-related cases, while O’Flynn’s observation concerns admissions for dependence on 7-OH specifically.

Products found after the ban

Authorities have found prohibited products in Connecticut since March. In August, Greenwich police arrested a New York man accused of selling 7-OH from his vehicle and seized what they valued at about $20,000 in kratom products.

This month, Wallingford police announced the arrests of two smoke-shop employees after investigators found products containing 7-OH and 7-hydroxymitragynine pseudoindoxyl. Police said the products had remained on sale after the ban.

For people already dependent on kratom or 7-OH, removing the products from Connecticut shelves does not necessarily end their use.

O’Flynn urged families to carry naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, and to administer it in a suspected overdose even if they do not know what substance was taken. They should also call 911.

“Some of the substances coming onto the market require several doses of Narcan,” she said. “You will not harm someone by giving them Narcan, though you may precipitate sudden opioid withdrawal.”

O’Flynn said treatment providers are also watching whether people who can no longer obtain kratom turn to other substances.

“A ban on any substance, like a reduction in availability for any other reason, always carries a risk of people moving to other substances,” she said.

“Historically, this has led to different substances entering the market. Some can be more potent than the substances they replace and carry a greater overdose risk.”

How to talk with teens about kratom and other drugs

Kratom products are banned in Connecticut, but young people may still encounter kratom, or its potent derivative 7-OH.

Jana Wu, director of clinical integration at Mountainside Treatment Center in North Canaan, recommends starting conversations before a crisis. Ask teenagers what they have heard at school, online or from friends, rather than opening with an interrogation.

The goal, Wu said, is to keep communication open so teenagers feel comfortable asking for help. Parents can discuss the risks of dependence, the varying strength of products and the possibility of unknown ingredients. They can also make clear that a teenager can call them for help without fear of punishment.

Changes to watch for

No single behavior proves that a teenager is using drugs. Changes worth discussing include shifts in friends or activities; unexplained changes in sleep, appetite or energy; falling grades; withdrawal from activities once enjoyed; increasing secrecy; unexplained spending or missing money; and unfamiliar pills, powders, gummies, packets or vapes.

Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services lists nausea, vomiting, dizziness, agitation and drowsiness among possible effects of kratom use. People who use it regularly may also experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop.

If someone cannot be awakened, is breathing slowly or shallowly, or is making choking or gurgling sounds, call 911 immediately. Give naloxone if it is available and stay with the person until help arrives.