31 Jul Kratom Under Fire: Why Chillum Never Carried It and What the 7-OH Ban Means for the Industry
In recent months, lawmakers have ramped up efforts to restrict or ban 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH)—one of the primary active compounds in Mitragyna speciosa, better known as kratom. The move has sparked a flurry of debate across the herbal wellness community, as advocates warn that such bans could strip away access to a plant that has provided relief for many dealing with chronic pain, anxiety, or opioid withdrawal.
Most recently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) formally requested a ban on 7-OH, framing it as a public health threat. This decision has raised eyebrows—not just among kratom users and advocates, but also across the broader plant medicine and wellness community—many of whom see this as yet another case of government overreach into nature-based healing.
At Chillum Mushroom and Hemp Dispensary, we believe this conversation deserves nuance. While we acknowledge that kratom, in its natural leaf form, may offer medicinal benefits and has become a lifeline for some, we made a conscious decision to never carry kratom products in our store.
Why Chillum Doesn’t Carry Kratom
The reason is simple: risk versus reward. Kratom’s complex interaction with opioid receptors—and the potential for dependency, withdrawal, and adverse reactions—made us uncomfortable from the beginning. Our mission has always been rooted in plant-based wellness without the baggage, and kratom’s risk profile didn’t align with that vision.
Instead, we’ve focused on legal cannabinoids like CBD, and delta-8, along with legal psychedelics like non-detect tryptamines. These compounds offer profound potential for healing, mindfulness, and joy—and in our experience, they do so with far fewer risks or side effects than kratom or similar substances.
The Problem with Banning Nature
That said, we also recognize the problematic precedent of banning natural compounds. The push to outlaw 7-OH mirrors past efforts to criminalize cannabis, psilocybin, and other natural tools for wellness. Once again, legislators seem more interested in prohibition than education or regulation.
7-OH is a naturally occurring alkaloid in kratom, albeit in small amounts. It’s also one of the compounds believed to contribute to the plant’s analgesic effects. Banning it may sound like harm reduction on the surface, but it could criminalize even raw kratom leaf, impacting people who responsibly rely on the plant for their health and wellness.
Where Chillum Stands
At Chillum, we don’t carry kratom—and we don’t plan to—but we stand with plant medicine and against knee-jerk legislative bans that strip people of safe, informed choices.
We will continue to advocate for responsible, science-backed approaches to herbal wellness. And we’ll keep doing what we do best: offering legal, lab-tested, and low-risk alternatives that support your journey toward happiness, healing, and self-discovery.
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