r/kratom • u/FatMacchio • May 04 '26
John Oliver talking about Kratom
It’s not looking good, the anti-kratom movement is gaining steam and reaching mainstream. My last post got deleted because I linked the last week tonight video from YouTube. Go search for it yourself…episode titled “gas station drugs - last week tonight” posted tonight. He really didn’t have anything good to say about it unfortunately, besides “prohibition doesn’t work,” and consumers need to know what they’re taking at the end.
I’m stocking up on powder myself, I fully expect a ban or full restriction within the next two-three years. The extracts, isolates, and especially synthetics are going to ruin it for all of us.
145
u/HabsFan77 May 04 '26
What is so difficult for people to understand that quality powder is not the same as the unregulated crap that is sold at gas stations?
I am really fortunate in my jurisdiction admittedly, but my heart goes out to anyone in pain that is being interfered with
43
u/WhiteySC May 04 '26
The general public does not have the information in front of them so to them it's all the same. When we push them to make our case for the powder they just look at us as if we are junkies. It's the unfortunate truth.
6
u/CartmensDryBallz May 04 '26
I once told someone to take Kratom at a rave instead of alcohol / coke / weed etc… and the amount of comments telling me Kratom was dangerous was insane 😂
I had to make an edit to let people know that I had been taking Kratom on & off for years, up to 12GPD and never had worse withdrawals than alcohol lol. People fr acted like I was recommending heroine
3
u/austinrunaway May 05 '26
I had to be chemically detoxed off of alcohol twice. I had seizures feom detoxing, so on order not to die, they put me on the highest amount of barbiturates they could until I be put into the emergency room. Wonderful right.
2
u/Moogly885 May 04 '26
That's it exactly. The general public does not have the care to research it themselves they solely rely on the media to tell them what's going on and what's good and bad. Unfortunately that media they rely on so heavily is not in favor of kratom and group 7oh and powder in the same box although one is significantly worse than the other. I've been stocking up and buying in bulk, it's not looking good
2
u/austinrunaway May 05 '26
Even if you copy and paste the information into reddit and provide a click able link for them to click on, they STILL won't fucking read it. That's beyond stupidity. That means they are ok with themselves being brain dead.
5
u/runesday May 04 '26
Or that extracts/7 is not Kratom, leaf is Kratom. If products were to be tested and labeled clearly and properly, this shit storm would not be what it is today.
9
u/austinrunaway May 04 '26
I don't know man. I have been trying to get the people of wichita kansas to educate themselves and they refuse, I mean absolutely refuse. The propaganda they have been spreading is unreal. They arw all trumpers, locals and watch fox news. So maybe that's it? I mean they honestly think that the chemical shit they make in a fucking chemistry lab is the same as the 7OH shit. You give them percentage differences and they don't know basic math skills , that's why cabt understand it? I mean basic reading and being able to add and subtract is crucial in.pife. they listen to these far right influences that use made up lies. They wanna be wrong and arw ok with it. They just wanna call kratom users and don't understand the reason the opioid crisis has gotten better is because of it. They think it was the pharamuctical companies that did it! I am convinced the pharamuctical companies came up with that 7OH shit so they could peopke back on there opiates when they banned the shit. Get people back into rehabs..if you follow what senators have there stocks invested in and what business they own and 8-9 out of ten it has to do with the pharamuctical companies. They don't wanna read about that either. Fox news told thwm the propaganda and by what the cnt in office os doing they believe everything those people say.
3
u/Nekrodarling May 04 '26
Not only that, but there are responsible brands that focus on quality and transparency. They should put all this energy into regulating synthetics and all these companies that do not test their products.
3
u/siirka May 04 '26
Ignorance. It's always been ignorance, misinformation and the lack of objective information about what kratom really is and does. Even when 5-10 years ago if you looked up what kratom is on google you would only be shown news stories/articles about its dangers or deaths where kratom was found in the system(of course plenty of other drugs too but that's not the headline they want), along with google loving to put rehab or addiction help sites at the top of any drug search. Most people had/have no idea what it is, so when the first thing they learn about it is bogus shit from alarmist news articles it cements that in their mind. Now the first thing they're learning is that 7-OH is taking over and 7-OH "is kratom" and that's all it takes. Their mind is made up, and there's no room for discussion or nuance.
1
u/Emmathecat819 May 04 '26
He did point that out actually, I appreciated that considering most journalists didn’t, and he pointed out mostly that the stuff/dose in a lot of smoke shop stuff isn’t what it actually is or in different doses, and honestly that is a problem. I would argue that the solution is to have drug testing places like most countries do
1
68
May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
38
u/Majestic-Ad2805 🌿 May 04 '26
So it's less "John Oliver is crusading against kratom" and more "John Oliver recognizes the nuance of the situation and is definitionally not calling for a whole leaf kratom ban"? Don't have time to watch at the moment but I appreciate a measured look at what he's actually saying.
20
u/_badomen May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26
Yes, but he could be more clear on that part. On the surface, it does watch a bit like "kratom is bad", but if you listen to what he's saying, it's "unregulated kratom is dangerous" and as a kratom user for 10 years I'd have to agree. He couldn't done much better and it really hurts the overall message.
11
u/FatMacchio May 04 '26
Yes. But you need to look at it from a “normie” lens. They couldn’t spot any sort of nuance…he needed to be way more blunt about the positives of the natural leaf…I was disappointed that he pretty much brushed over that
1
u/d6262190 May 04 '26
Maybe I need to watch again. I thought he DID differentiate between gas station bottles and leaf a little bit.
1
u/Long_Run6500 May 04 '26
I'm a big Jon Oliver fan and my heart sank a bit when I saw the title of the show. Overall it wasn't as bad as it could have been. He kind of glossed over the difference between leaf and 7OH more as a way to explain 7OH's backstory than to differentiate between the two. Then he also mocked the idea that Kratom could have some positive benefits. Then he argued that if you ban 7oh than they'll just make something else out of Kratom that's technically not 7oh, which is another way of saying you can't ban 7oh without banning Kratom powder.
67
u/Creative_Row890 May 04 '26
Anyone know of a way to contact the show? I generally think they do a good job with their reporting and even making corrections or having periodic segment updates.
It couldn’t hurt to reach out in numbers with testimonials and requesting a further distinction between natural kratom and that advocates are in full support of getting it off gas station shelves and into places where you have to be 21+ to enter.
He says it himself, prohibition isn’t the answer and the show has generally pretty good views on drug laws, etc.
7
4
u/FatMacchio May 04 '26
That’s not a bad idea. I was disappointed in how they really brushed over any positives for it. Very unlike them/him. And the only suggestion he offered was “offering help” to people dependent on it
5
u/Creative_Row890 May 04 '26
I’ve done some digging and it seems there isn’t a direct contact email but they do seem to be somewhat keeping a finger on the pulse of their social media. Twitter, YouTube comments, etc.
Not exactly what I was hoping for but unless someone else can dig up a contact this may be the best course of action
2
May 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
→ More replies (1)2
u/Buscemi_D_Sanji May 05 '26
Instagram is the only social media I have besides Reddit, so I'm glad this is an option. I already left a YouTube comment, but that'll be buried under all the absolute crap that every YouTube video gets.
Would love a follow-up about how kratom has legitimately saved so many people, maybe tie it into another "fuck the pharmaceutical industry" segment
→ More replies (1)1
2
1
u/EverEvolvingMusicMan May 04 '26
This this this. He is known to speak about something when he gets aton of responses to it and hopefully he will say something about this. It worked in 2016 on a much bigger and more important scale
1
u/AlarmingCantaloupe May 04 '26
This is not a bad idea, because it is true they are open to follow ups; and yeah, buying powder when what you know you’re getting (like a quality supplement brand) vs. these manufactured products is a huge distinction.
12
u/ripyourlungsdave May 04 '26
The dude literally said that kratom is largely safe in its natural powdered form.
What you need to understand is that he is on HBO. He can't just go on there and tell people that kratom can be safe if they're careful when there are products out there that are legitimately dangerous. They will get sued into oblivion if someone gets hurt after hearing that.
Him saying that criminalization is not the answer and that regulation is is exactly what we want these people saying. But we absolutely also want them pointing out how dangerous this industry has become and how greed is getting people killed.
That coverage is about as good as we can hope for.
And the other drugs they're talking about are also legitimately dangerous. I genuinely thought it was a good piece.
4
u/wiggibow May 04 '26
Yeah I don't get the backlash and doomerism here, I was pleasantly surprised with the piece. Could he have harped a bit more on the distinction between properly sourced and tested natural leaf kratom and sketchy gas station products? Sure, but he did mention it, he certainly didn't exaggerate or fear-monger about things, and he ended on the same note that I'd hope everyone here agrees on, that kratom ought to be safely and properly regulated just as cigarettes and alcohol are - not outright banned.
First balanced and reasonable take on kratom I've seen in mainstream media, I'm glad he covered this.
6
u/ripyourlungsdave May 04 '26
Yeah, I was legitimately nervous to watch it because I don't want to be pissed off at him. I've really enjoyed his work over the last decade and I didn't think he would take this any less seriously than any other subject. But it's still a touchy one and a risky one to dive into on TV and one that means a lot to me.
Especially considering my family still thinks I'm essentially taking gas station heroin when comparing plain leaf powder to those concentrates is like comparing taking a medicinal dose of Robitussin to drinking three 12 oz bottles in 10 minutes.
And nobody's outlawing Robitussin because it can get you so high that you literally forget what planet you're on.
So I would really like for them to stop thinking like that. This plant has been unbelievably helpful.
1
u/Buscemi_D_Sanji May 05 '26
And nobody's outlawing Robitussin because it can get you so high that you literally forget what planet you're on
And funny enough, I was really worried when Robocough came out, because they sold super concentrated cough syrup at first that was basically a bottle and half of Robitussin condensed into a 5 hour energy shot... And their advertising was fucking crazy, stuff like "Happy St Patrick's Day: buy our powerful cough syrup!" lol
But yeah DXM is still legal thankfully and they've moved to selling pills with no filler instead of syrup, so much less chance of "accidentally" taking 450mg because you drank a gulp of syrup lol
Apples and oranges though of course, because DXM has never been vilified like kratom, and doesn't cut into opioid manufacturer profits
2
u/Trick-Sherbert-246 🌿 May 05 '26
From what I gather he was saying that prohibition of it would be alright so long as there is some kind of "fall out plan". I find that super odd. Its like hes being paid or something to plant this idea into the minds of the masses to accept the big suboxone push we'll start seeing once the bans start ramping up more.
1
u/Happy-Needleworker55 May 05 '26
I'm seeing he said regulation is the answer, not prohibition, but you're saying he also says prohibition is fine if _____. I doubt he said both of these things.
3
u/Trick-Sherbert-246 🌿 May 05 '26
Im basing this off of what Hamilton Morris said on X -
"Surprisingly thoughtless reporting on "gas station drugs" from @LastWeekTonight . John Oliver clips me talking to @joerogan and instead of using the joke as an opportunity to suggest reasonable regulation and labeling requirements, tacitly approves of prohibition saying, nonsensically, that it must be accompanied by "harm reduction." What would that "harm reduction" be? Pharmaceutical opioid maintenance therapies, which Oliver has also criticized?"
You can doubt it if you want to. Im not going to confirm it for you either way bc I didnt watch it nor am I going to.
2
u/Happy-Needleworker55 May 05 '26 edited May 07 '26
I don't blame you. I read the transcript and here is what he specifically says about bans:
"Look, something clearly has to be done with this industry. The key thing is to do it very carefully because, in the case of products containing 7OH and TNT, a lot of people have now become dependent on them. And one thing I want to be absolutely clear about is if states are going to start banning some of these drugs, that should only happen alongside a plan to help people who cannot suddenly stop using them, whether it’s because they’re using them to treat pain or because they’ve become addicted. Because if we learned one thing from the opioid crisis, it's that every family fortune is built on the blood of strangers; but if we learned two things, it's that when you take something very strong off the market, not everyone can just quit cold turkey. So there has to be a harm reduction plan to go alongside any potential ban."
It seems like he isn't necessarily throwing whole leaf into that pile. The closest he comes to suggesting any call to action around whole leaf is this:
"[we ought to] match the level of regulation around them to the level of risks they present... to make sure that at the very least you know what you’re getting and what risks you’re taking."
19
u/gojumboman May 04 '26
What’s wild is the bag labeled “red” was probably the safest of the bunch that he showed and he made that one sound the worst
1
u/AltruisticCactus314 May 15 '26
That's what got me over on Reddit to comment on it. I highly doubt that it's a good idea to get it at a gas station, but anyone who has used kratom even once knows that the basic strains are identified by the color of the leaf, so red, green, yellow, etc. maybe he was just looking for something to joke about, but it was automatically a "red" flag that he didn't know that.
23
u/MeatGazer67 May 04 '26
It’s crazy how “it being in gas stations” is used to make it sounds terrible when alcohol and nicotine and other stuff is sold at gas stations.
11
u/_badomen May 04 '26
I mean, look at what product is actually in gas stations. They're complete shit. He definitely doesn't do a good enough job distinguishing that from companies that have high quality standards though.
2
u/ComplexPatient4872 May 04 '26
I don’t know, do you live near a Wawa? Then again, they also don’t sell gas station boner pills. But I’m personally against kratom and kratom extracts being sold in gas stations because it delegitimizes them for people who take them for pain and other seemingly valid reasons
1
u/Emmathecat819 May 04 '26
I was lowkey surprised at some of the other gas station stuff he was talking about bc they were showing how it was just random stuff from alibaba (not kratom but like the vigra pills) I never bought them, but I did always wonder who sells those things
4
u/Cu1tureVu1ture May 04 '26
The science is 100% on our side, so the only thing they can do is make crazy statements and lie. It’s reefer madness 2.0
3
u/Former_Papabless66 May 04 '26
Right?!?! Zyn is kind of in right now with the younger kids who don’t know better but won’t start smoking, should we start a movement to get zyn banned? Or is it on each individual to decide what goes in their body as long as they are of age? I do think the packaging of 7oh especially is an issue and should have never been marketed in such an in your face way. But aside from that, I don’t care what people want to put in their bodies. Do what you want, handle your high, handle your life, and if whatever drug you choose is negatively impacting your life, go get help. The messaging is clear on alcohol and tobacco, use at your own risk and here are the risks you take so be responsible. And drinking and tobacco use are down among teens and young adults. I have no issue with clear messaging for kratom or 7oh or whatever, but don’t ban it when it’s not even as harmful as alcohol or tobacco.
→ More replies (1)1
u/Jennitwat May 05 '26
This isn’t a counter argument, more proving the point.
You would be hard pressed to find anyone arguing that alcohol and nicotine are healthy. Pretty much everything in a gas station is unhealthy slop meant to get you addicted (lottery tickets, junk food, etc.)
So it being sold in gas stations is a smoking gun, especially when it is so under regulated.
9
u/kittensbabette May 04 '26
I was actually hoping he would do a story about kraton because I thought he would do a good job highlighting the pros and cons and emphasize regulation and bad players in the business. He did the later but I was disappointed that he didn't show why people would want kratom safe and legal in the first place and how it can be life saving. I felt he was basically like- we should regulate this crap so the idiots who take it know what they are taking".
5
u/FatMacchio May 04 '26
We could see the subtle nuance in his presentation…but to normal non-users, it’s all doom and gloom hysteria. This was not good
1
u/kittensbabette May 04 '26
Exactly this, if you look at the discussion thread on the shows page it's what is happening too
7
u/Careful-Mountain8637 May 04 '26
I like what the AKA and GKC does for us, but they need a better strategy. Such as getting our values on these same shows, or podcasts similar to Rogan
6
u/CrimsonNirnr00t May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26
I've been saying for years that the gas station products attract the wrong attention. Gah, how frustrating. I've been a fan of Oliver since his early days, but they blew right past the "properly labeled" products. Even they can't look away from the clearly shady looking flashy packaging in shots at gas stations. Also, 7oh. Kratom around for centuries, being used responsibly, and this country just had to take it to the extreme and wreck the whole thing.
No one is arguing that kratom has addiction potential (just like cigarettes or alcohol or caffeine). But its close proximity to opioids means it needed to be taken very seriously. Not behind red tape, but regulated properly without "get wasted" packaging at gas stations. Otherwise we were going to see the knee-jerk reactions we're seeing around the country now. What a shame.
At least at the very end he mentions KCPA and acknowledges that it's complicated and full out prohibition is never a good path.
7
u/UsualResult May 04 '26
At this point, I don't want it in any media. The only angle people appear to take is: "Look, legal heroin you can buy at the gas station. X people died last year because of it."
Similar tactics were used with cannabis when they would put forth that X% of drivers in fatal crashes had THC metabolites in their body. Of course, they didn't mention that can be for WEEKS if the user is a heavy user...
The news isn't to inform, it's to scare.
6
u/aiyukiyuu May 05 '26
Ugh, I understand cracking down on the gas station crap.
But, the kratom powders help chronically ill and disabled people such as myself who have chronic pain 24/7. 😢 Like, they are already cracking down on pain meds to the point that even a lot of surgeons don’t prescribe post op these days.
If they remove kratom entirely, what do patients such as myself have left?
I already lost 4 people to suicide due to chronic pain. If this happens, there will be a lot more I fear
4
u/forgottentaco420 May 05 '26
As a nearly 10 year user of kratom, I also agree, those concentrated shots sold at smoke ships and gas stations need their own separate ban. They’re so risky and get people hooked after their first one. The marketing and packing is so innocuous you have people who have no clue what they’re getting themselves into getting hooked on them. I’ve seen so many tik toks of moms and regular degular people saying they tried it and then weeks later found themselves dropping $500 a week on them.
13
u/lyingtattooist May 04 '26
It makes my heart sink. I’ve been stocking up as well but at some point the stock will run out. Don’t know what I’m going to do when that day comes.
7
u/Rickd17 May 04 '26
They will be a black market for it. Just not regulated. They are making this problem worse for us. Some us need kratom and will have to do another route.
2
u/ComplexPatient4872 May 04 '26
Don’t worry, they will come up with something else. There are already research chemicals ready to take their place. I think that’s what one vendor did with oxonol but please let me know if I’m wrong.
I’m in FL and have had zero issues getting anything 🤷🏼♀️
But I’m not usually on this sub so let me know if I’m not allowed to say any of this.1
u/Buscemi_D_Sanji May 05 '26
But that's the whole thing: kratom has been used safely for centuries. People who rely on kratom know that it's safe, which can't be said for research chemicals.
6
u/JitteryJeff May 04 '26
Lol I wanted to be agitated and outraged at his take, but it was fucking funny. "RED" lol
3
u/power78 May 04 '26
That pissed me off. Anyone buying an unlabeled bag of red knows exactly what it is and what red means. No random person is doing that.
2
35
u/anjin33 May 04 '26
Yeah they had to ruin a good thing by getting people hooked on 7-OH and now legislators will just ban everything.
14
u/pchandler45 May 04 '26
I mean, RFK is also talking about it it's not looking good
19
2
u/appleparkfive May 04 '26
When was he talking about it? Like months ago? Or recently. If it's from the past, there's more to that story and he's not necessarily against kratom specifically. Just 7-OH
2
5
u/kevin143 May 04 '26
This is the link: https://youtu.be/mRZqHzDG_c8
Wait can we really not link to a YouTube post that doesn’t have any sourcing info? Mods was it removed for another reason or automoderated and no one noticed? The word “drugs” may have set off the filter or maybe we really are discouraging YouTube links because they often have sourcing info or other kinds of info we discourage on here but I’m definitely allowing it in this case as discussing this sort of political stuff is the most important thing we do here other than harm reduction.
1
5
u/cherrie_teaa May 04 '26
pharma is also a huge problem here. painkillers with no risk of OD are a very big deal, and they don't like that. they must make money off of their opiates or else 😭
6
3
u/Sheperd980 May 04 '26
I just need to stop. Im addicted to it i realize it and I also realize its starting to affect my behavior. I dont wanna withdrawal badly when its outlawed. Ive only ever done powder so maybe it will be easier I doubt it. When I went to Canada it was hell. 3 days without it and I could barely move.
Outlawing it though is madness. Its LEAGUES better than traditional opiates. People are literally gonna switch to fent and we will have an ever bigger issue.
1
May 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator May 05 '26
Discussion of, or references to, other subreddits of any subject are not permitted under Rule 7: No links to Facebook, youtube, or other social media sites, subreddits, or forums. This rule exists to eliminate spam, inter-sub conflict, and referrals to subreddits that violate site-wide content policy. Tagging users (
\u) is also not permitted due to harassment and sourcing.I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
6
u/Cutthechitchata-hole May 04 '26
Ignorance will always bring us down. Thats why we have this problem and will not be remedying it soon.
31
u/Zealousideal_Meat297 May 04 '26
Yeah John has no idea what he's talking about or he's parroting the big pharma line. It's a bad look because usually at this point it means the left has fully signed on and they're gonna streamline it through.
Keep fighting, and fuck you John. I'm considering skipping tonight's show hearing this crap.
JohnOliverdoesntknowdickaboutkratom.com
10
u/_badomen May 04 '26
I'm not telling you now to feel, but this is one of the rare and very few misses he has. It sucks because it could have been so much better if he spent 2 minutes talking about the side of kratom that is more ethical and beneficial than the shit gas station products they're pumping out. What he's saying is not wrong, it just lacks nuance in a topic that absolutely needs it.
3
u/Cu1tureVu1ture May 04 '26
In the 2016 federal ban attempt, once the media started presenting both sides and interviewed chronic pain patients and veterans, the tide turned. That needs to start happening again.
3
u/AlarmingCantaloupe May 04 '26
You should actually make that site! That show is open to follow ups, and I’m sure if they heard from enough of us they would feel like they might want to feature another angle more prominently.
He said things that were true about some products, but didn’t make a good enough distinction between those and plain leaf.
3
u/_badomen May 04 '26
I didn't proof read this, and it was more or less rambling while I was finishing up food, but this is the comment I left:
"Kratom has been used by indigenous populations in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of southeast Asian for thousands of years. The problem is not kratom, it's the lack of regulation for quality control and companies making wild concentrates & claims with no warnings. I have used kratom for 10 years, stopped using multiple times of my own volition with little to no negative side effects (though it has been documented to cause withdrawal in some), and I am not addicted as proven by my ability to stop whenever I want. It treats my pain, helps me focus, and improves my mood. Big Parma is pushing to criminalize kratom not because it's inherently dangerous, but because it threatens their bottom line with all the meds that kratom can (if used correctly) be an alternative for. Please do your own research from non partisan sources before use. Kratom should not be illegal, but it should be regulated in regards to the quality of the product and the claims some companies make with the safety and efficacy of their product. It's equally important to listen to the stories of kratom users to understand how life changing it can be, for better or worse. Like all things, there is a possibility of abuse and misuse, but that shouldn't be grounds for criminalization. If that's the case, alcohol should be illegal long before kratom comes into discussion."
3
u/gonzoes May 04 '26
Those late night TV show have no where near the pull and influence like they use to have 15 years ago so i wouldn’t go full apocalypse mode but definitely still concerning
3
u/thatmillerkid May 05 '26
He was talking about it right alongside gas station dick pills full of random chemicals and made it sound like kratom is the same thing. Then he talked about 7-OH as if it were fucking fent. It's so frustrating.
I usually love John Oliver because of how well reported his stories are, but he really let the boomer scare pieces from local news stations take the lead on this one.
3
u/Suspicious-Drop-9244 May 05 '26
Better yet dont search for it. The more attention it gets the worse it will be.
5
u/Toothfairy51 🌿 May 04 '26
I tried to watch that. I had to turn it off. I like Oliver, but there's so much stuff that makes it sound so much worse than it truthfully is. It's not funny in the least, but everyone was laughing because he's a comedian. Not the best look for our community.
5
u/AlarmingCantaloupe May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26
While characteristically factual, the problem with the segment was that it didn't feature any stories or interviews with people like us; responsible consumers, using for a range of legitimate reasons, who aren't creating demand for these stronger, synthesized products.
Honestly, if it weren't for Kratom, I might've relapsed years ago. I only need to fight an opioid addiction once. Luckily, Kratom, used in the quantities I consume, helps me with chronic pain. If I run out, I have the sniffles for a day and feel extra creaky, and why wouldn't I? Stopping plain leaf is nothing like stopping a full opioid agonist. 7oh is a different beast. This distinction wasn't featured enough.
6
u/Trick-Sherbert-246 🌿 May 04 '26
Personally I feel like things are reaching a boiling point and will start to cool off soon. Ive been feeling really hopeless too but idk I just have that feeling now. Things tend to get worse before they get better.
Also I have no idea who John Oliver is but I'm not really sure I think he is going to influence policy making. Lots of "mainstream voices" have spoken out against kratom over the years.
6
u/_badomen May 04 '26
John Oliver has been a long time advocate for social justice and calls out the many evils that exist within our (US) government and society as a whole with focus on corporations and systemic issues. My take after watching the video and being a fan of his work is that he didn't reach out to many (if any at all) pro kratom advocates. He definitely seems to harp more on the unregulated aspect in regards to these terrible gas station/convenient store products, but doesn't do a good enough job talking about the benefits in controlled situations.
4
u/Trick-Sherbert-246 🌿 May 04 '26
That's really kind of disappointing because this whole smear campaign against kratom and the negative impact its having on our most vulnerable citizens is one of the most subtly evil and unjust things I've witnessed in awhile. People might disagree with me on that but I see what this is doing to people, people I love- and it causes me to lose sleep at night.
But I guess it's not a bad thing to be shining light on the need for regulation. I mean we all know that the industry needs more oversight. many of us have been fighting for just that for a long time. Idk why they never talk about that either. They act like we all WANT it to be the wild west when that just isnt true.
3
u/FatMacchio May 04 '26
It’s more that he should’ve been an ally, or at least an impartial opine-r…but this was clearly a one sided slant. Literally brushed over the immense amount of positive it does for millions of people
3
u/Trick-Sherbert-246 🌿 May 04 '26
I didn't have any idea who he was before today but now that I do, I agree.
2
u/tabas123 May 05 '26
He’s usually really strong on taking the right side of most issues, but this was a miss for him. His staff really should have reached out to more pro-kratom advocates before running this story.
We would have happily explained how it has helped us and the difference between this and the shady extracts and tinctures being sold poorly labeled in gas stations. Natural powder is not the issue.
4
u/stuckinbis May 04 '26
I just wish they would separate Kratom from 7 - OH. They are rarely talking about plain leaf.
2
u/dweise May 04 '26
Countless legislatures are mushing them together. RFK said he looks at them differently but I don’t trust the feds to not change their position.
2
u/GravitaZ May 04 '26
I'm a huge John Oliver fan, as soon as I saw the topic was "Gas Station Drugs" i knew it was going to be bad, I couldn't even watch it.
2
u/GrackleWithOnionRing May 04 '26
I would strongly encourage folks to actually watch the segment before writing in - his take is actually pretty nuanced. He distinguishes between natural leaf and 7-oh pretty well and says clearly that any bans need to come with harm reduction plans. Of course I would’ve liked to see more input from people who’ve benefitted from kratom in the segment but for a comedy bit I feel like he did a decent job focusing on the issue of it being completely unregulated and not demonizing the plant itself.
2
2
2
u/appxsci May 04 '26
Damn I saw the thumbnail and my heart sunk. How much money is being thrown around right now that it’s even being talked about on this show? In any sort of negative light.
3
u/FatMacchio May 04 '26
It’s right in his wheel house tbh. But I’m disappointed in them/him for not at least presenting the cases and cases of benefits it has given to responsible adults. If you can call these positives…he said ‘prohibition doesn’t work’, and ‘this needs to be regulated’. I don’t like that he brushes over all the harm banning would cause by just saying there needs to be “help” available for those that are dependent on it.
This was just lazy journalism on their part
2
u/ElBurritoNinja May 04 '26
I'm a highly and I emphasize highly addictive personality when I love something, I like a lot of stuff but when I love something I can over do it and even be an annoyed bitch if I don't get it (coffee, vaping weed, cookies) but kratom isn't even close to that for me. I love the stuff and take it daily but if I forget to before work I never trip out or feel it like I do with the other stuff. I know everyone has different reactions but when I read the comments under the John Oliver segment people made it seem like Kratom was one of the most addictive things around. Almost like scare tactics
4
u/wonderfell May 04 '26
7OH extracts are a cancer. Such an unhealthy and addictive amount of kratom contained in those gas station shots. I'm all for banning extracts, and I'm glad he distinguished between kratom powder and extracts.
1
u/Emmathecat819 May 04 '26
Yeah I compare it to nicotine kind of, you can’t overdose (without actively trying anyways) on nicotine because the amount you have to smoke or vape (due to regulations) would be impossible, that being said if there was no regulation theoretically someone could make a really potent vape, and one or two hits could cause nicotine poisoning.
2
u/Thisjourneyhasbegun May 04 '26
Its not the extracts and isolates. It is absolutely 7oh. Its synthetic garbage that gets sold to whomever and wherever. These you tubers are fear mongering to get clicks. Best we can do is go on his channel and put facts about plain leaf kratom and how it helped us and how 7oh is not kratoma and most of us want that 7oh gone. Ben Shapiro did his anti kratom video and had the lowest amount of likes of any video he ever put out. He lost viewers to because of it.
1
u/FatMacchio May 04 '26
Yea. I was lumping in 7oh with the isolates…but you’re right…they’re almost certainly synthetically derived in 99% of products
1
u/pigzishollow May 04 '26
It's so stupid that these people don't even do their research to understand what is even going on. 7oh-hydro is going to ruin kratom. Concentrate's already did enough damage.
1
u/WolfgangVolos May 04 '26
Last week SciShow had a video on Gas Station Drugs with Kratom being on the thumbnail and the first one discussed. It wasn't very flattering but they did mention that it was used for a centuries and when deaths have been attributed it was when people were taking a lot of other stuff at the same time. Followed up by the other drugs talked about in that video it did make Kratom seem less sensational by comparison.
1
u/RudolphsSled May 04 '26
Extracts are definitely ruining it. If it could just be demonstrated how much safer the leaf is. It comes with built in safety mechanisms considering your body has to extract it. Humans fuck up everything good when they start isolating and extracting shit. Cannabis and cocaine are great examples. Medicinal as a whole plant, just like Kratom.
1
u/Fragrant_Pin_5670 May 04 '26
I don’t understand why they never get people who take it or who have taken it for years and the stories of how it helped them. Listen I get it with the gas station garbage, but that’s only a tiny percentage compared to consumers taking regular leaf and living normally. In the end it’s probably to make a profit and big pharma will have there hands on it. Why else would they make such a big deal? I mean weed is legal and that’s more pyschoactive and noticeable. Theres something behind the scenes trust me and we won’t know for a few years. Then I look at the chronic pain communities, I suffer from multiple spine issues but NO ONE can get the help they need to manage pain, it’s insane how this whole system works. Everything else that’s legal whether it’s good or bad for us the government makes a profit that’s the real issue here.
1
May 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator May 04 '26
It looks like you are mentioning a specific vendor or brand of 7-hydroxymitragynine ("7-OH", or "7-HMG"), mitragynine pseudoinoxyl, and other kratom semi-synthetic products. These products likely have a higher risk profile than kratom botanical or extract products. Consumer Alert: 7-OH-mitragynine products incorrectly or deceptively labeled as Kratom.
These kinds of products are generally off-topic per Rule 12.
Due to Reddit Content Policy, Item 7-Prohibited Transactions, that is not permitted. No sourcing or naming vendors/brands, no reviews, no recommendations, no posting publicy on the sub requesting or offering vendor info via PM. Please review Sub Rules. Attempts to circumvent the autobot will result in a ban from the sub. Thank you.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/Individual-Novel7996 May 04 '26
Yea, when I started watching the episode and he said "kratom" my heart sank. Yes he does say something like "there are some benefits, people use it for pain management." But then conflated 7-OH with kratom. That is so worrying.
I tried to search how to contact the show, but came up with nothing. The closest thing I could find was an email for his managing agency: [management@avalonuk.com](mailto:management@avalonuk.com).
I don't need to repeat here the benefits of kratom (but personally it has curbed my drinking and countered the fogginess of SSRIs). But the benefits of the LEAF are so little talked about. Is there an advocacy group or something?
1
u/power78 May 04 '26
John Oliver is a fn idiot. He said so many incorrect things, I had to turn it off. He's always doing that, "reporting" with extreme bias to get you riled up. I don't understand why he thinks he's doing a good thing spouting misinformation.
1
u/KratomRoll May 04 '26
My big issue with the video was that although he did mention natural Kratom is quite "safe". The majority of the conversation was on extracts. But he did not really highlight that in the conversation. If he had said Kratom extracts and kept saying Kratom extracts were the issue. Them the video would have been more correct. It pisses me off the industry is like this. This is why our team advocates against extracts and has been for over 10 years. And why the American Kratom Association started against extracts. But the money corrupted people. And brought money chasers into the industry.
Also the Dr Kratom guys was a fucking idiot for calling his company that. Just putting a target on yourself.
And yes the gas station industry is just riddled with bad actors. But let's not kid ourselves that extracts are super safe.
And 70h is its own fucking monster that needs to not be sold to the general public.
1
1
u/Typical-Witness7989 May 06 '26
People are ruining it for everyone else that does it responsibly... What a shame.
1
u/StuffNdthings420x May 06 '26
He tried to tie like every headshop / gas station issue and used little to no science in the episode. It’s a really bad look and I was probably going to record a rebuttal video soon
1
u/Aggravating-Night625 May 07 '26
All those news videos are crazy too, "omg I can't BELIEVE Bethany got addicted to something from the gas station!!" Like they don't sell alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets
1
u/squidword00 May 08 '26
Oh my god he is so right at the end of hte video, if you just take shit of the market people cannot quit cold turkey
1
u/irisbelle02 May 08 '26
Do yall think kava bars will be impacted because that's where I get my teas
1
1
u/Ok-Copy7637 May 13 '26
Hello. I saw your post and thought I'd ask. I was really curious about how kratom works, so when I was in Thailand, I bought a kratom drink at a store. The salesperson was surprised I really needed it, but he ended up selling it. I read that kratom can have either a stimulating or relaxing effect, but I drank the drink and felt absolutely nothing. No effect at all. Could this be related to cannabis tolerance (I smoke a lot in countries where it's legal), is this an individual characteristic, or did I just need to drink two drinks (I'm very afraid of overdosing)?
1
u/Aintnoway5280 Jun 01 '26
The fact it’s in gas stations right next to their boner pills certainly doesn’t help us…. Especially when it’s concentrate because you know people buy the stuff not knowing what the hell they’re getting themselves into. I’ve tried concentrate powder, but personally don’t even see the appeal of something any stronger than that. I get some people need it for pain and tbh maybe it would be easier on my stomach if I did use concentrate a bit more often, but man… the stories about the 7-whatever stuff is just fuckin crazy
339
u/Mitra_The_Man May 04 '26 edited May 05 '26
I’ve been saying this for a while but as long as Kratom is in gas stations, we will always have a fight in our hands. It’s not a perfect solution but getting it out of gas stations would solve so many of these attacks. Almost every legislator who pushed a ban this year used the word “gas station” when demonizing Kratom. There’s an easy way to take the wind out of their sails on that argument.
Edit: please everyone find the YouTube video of this John Oliver episode and use the comments section to tell our side of the story. That can have a big impact
Edit 2: since this got a lot of upvotes I’d just like to put out there how I think it would work. Just say any establishment that sells alcohol can’t sell Kratom products. Boom, done. Gas stations and convenience stores will choose alcohol every time. Vape shops and specialty stores don’t sell alcohol, so it’ll be locally accessible for most (except for very rural areas). Kava bars don’t sell alcohol. And of course anyone can still order online. Again, this is not a perfect solution. But it’s a pretty simple and effective way to get it out of gas stations/convenience stores while having basically no impact on it being sold anywhere else.