Abstract

Kratom may pose some health risks (e.g., liver toxicity, seizures, dependence), and interstate commerce is federally illegal; however, kratom is sold widely in the US. The extent of interstate commerce is unclear, but may be indicated by brands present across states/territories. Thus, this study examined kratom brands sold in US vape shops. Using Google Maps, we identified vape shops in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico. Stores were called in November/December 2023. To achieve our target sample of 520 (n=10 per state/territory), 661 stores were called (contact rate=78.7%). Kratom was sold in 372/520 shops (71.5%), of which 153 (41.1%) provided brand information. Among 129 brands reported, OPMS was sold in 90.20% of shops across 42 states/territories, Remarkable Herb in 34.64% across 30 states/territories, and MIT 45 in 33.33% across 31 states/territories. Interstate brand presence indicates likely violations of federal laws and the need to strengthen regulation and enforcement.

Keywords: Kratom, brand, policy, marketing

How to Cite:

LoParco, C. R., Tillett, K. K., Berg, C. & Rossheim, M. E., (2026) “Kratom brands in vape shops across the US”, Health Behavior Research 9(1).