# Kratom crisis exposed: I went under cover at the stores peddling opioid-like legal highs

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/kratom-crisis-exposed-i-went-under-cover-at-the-stores-peddling-opioid-like-legal-highs/
- Published: 2026-11-08T20:10:24+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-08T20:22:12+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16211733/kratom-undercover-investigation-stores.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Health, Medicine, World

## Key points

- New York shops sold kratom products with little screening.
- Most stores visited did not check the reporter’s age.
- DEA action on kratom-linked substances remains pending.

## Summary

An undercover investigation in New York found smoke-shop staff selling kratom products with little screening or advice, despite the reporter saying they were pregnant, had anxiety and depression, and wanted a large quantity to share at a party. The findings raise concerns about consumer safeguards for a psychoactive substance that can have opioid-like effects and may be addictive, while remaining broadly legal in much of the United States.

The reporter bought five types of product, some with no specific warnings, and said most shops did not ask for identification, despite New York’s 21-and-over purchase rule. Products included ones containing 7-OH, a kratom-derived compound experts say is 13 times stronger than morphine; risks vary with potency, amount and other factors. The article says the DEA is considering temporary Schedule I classification for four kratom-linked substances, with an order for 7-OH still pending as of November 2026, and notes that the FDA has not approved kratom for medical use.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.