This kratom drink was marketed as an alcohol alternative to be sold over the counter. Some consumers say it led to addiction.

When Jasmine Adeoye, an account manager based in Austin, Texas, decided to stop drinking in June 2022, she turned to a kratom beverage advertised as an alcohol alternative. Within a year and a half, Adeoye said she was addicted to the drink, "Feel Free Classic," lured by what she calls the company's deceptive marketing tactics.

The 29-year-old account manager based in Austin, Texas, said her favorite podcasters promoted the drink, which the company Botanic Tonics manufactures and sells, as "a miracle" beverage that could help people trying to overcome addiction and embrace sobriety. Having struggled with binge drinking in the past, Adeoye was intrigued.

She said she was unaware the drink contained kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia that can produce feelings of energy, ease anxiety and reduce pain— but carries a risk of addiction, seizures, and very rarely, death. Since kratom is unregulated in the U.S., some products are sold in highly concentrated forms and could contain contaminants like heavy metals and harmful bacteria, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.