2) Before the data, behold the Goddess of the Natural Fallacy (the Herbal Essence shampoo lady) telling you that plants aren't just flowers in the sun. Think of a mix of potent, untested drugs. Kratom can cause psychosis, seizures, vomiting, liver damage, addiction ...and more.

3) The report shows the influencers are influencing: a 1200% increase in kratom exposure reports to poison control, with 538 hospitalizations last year alone. There were 233 kratom-associated deaths over 10 years - often in people exposed to kratom and other substances.

4) Kratom is in a grey zone: in the US it is not an approved treatment (although there are studies ongoing) and it is a “drug of concern” to the FDA. In Canada it is not approved (toxicity and addiction risk) and it is illegal to sell for consumption, but it is not "controlled."

5) SoMe media platforms can shut down/ban content that promotes the sale or use of kratom, so wellness marketers may call it a "botanical energy brew” or a tonic. This bypasses safety filters and makes a pharmacologically active product sound like groceries. #HealthLiteracy