Wellness tonic or dangerous drug? Popular drink spurs debate
Feel Free is the most prominent product to incorporate unregulated — and possibly addictive — kratom.
The internet is sounding the alarm on a "wellness drink" that has been growing rapidly in popularity in recent years. While the marketing for the drink makes it sound like a harmless herbal supplement to take the edge off after a long day, the lesser-known ingredients in the drinks are causing unexpected, massive problems with users.
TikTok @yourbestiemisha recently described how a boy in his early teens approached him in a gas station, asking the man to purchase some "Feel Free" for him. When @yourbestiemisha refused, the teen reportedly lunged at his wallet in desperation. When he informed the gas station clerk, the clerk reported that it was a known problem and showed him the drink in the little blue bottle behind the craze.
Kratom's opioid-like effects are pronounced enough that researchers have tried using it to treat opioid addicts — only to discover that kratom itself can create addiction.
Botanic Tonics touts its product Feel Free as a "feel-good tonic [that] features kava root and other plant ingredients known to help with relaxation, productivity and focus." Left unmentioned is a crucial ingredient: kratom.
K-hole
According to the Mayo Clinic, the effects of kratom — derived from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia — are largely unknown, and the substance is therefore labeled as "unsafe and ineffective."
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