A Growing Crisis with No Easy Answers
A quiet epidemic is spreading across the United States — one that many people do not recognise as addiction until they are already deeply caught in it. Kratom and its more potent derivative, 7-hydroxymitragynine (commonly known as 7-OH), are fuelling a surge in dependence and withdrawal cases that the mainstream healthcare system has been slow to address.
Workit Health, one of the country’s most established online addiction treatment providers, has taken direct aim at this gap. The Ann Arbor-based company has announced that it now treats kratom use disorder through its app-based telehealth platform. Individuals experiencing cravings, dependence, or withdrawal from kratom and 7-OH can now access discreet, evidence-based care from home — without waiting lists, without commuting to a clinic, and without stigma.
What Kratom and 7-OH Actually Are
Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia that has been used for centuries for its complex pharmacological effects. At lower doses, it produces stimulant-like effects. At higher doses, however, it interacts with the brain in ways that closely resemble opioids — binding to opioid receptors and triggering effects that include pain relief, sedation, and euphoria.
In recent years, kratom has been heavily marketed in the United States as a natural wellness product, an energy supplement, or a safe alternative to opioids. These claims have no scientific support. As Workit Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Justin Coffey explains: “These products may be marketed for general wellness, energy, or mood benefits, or as a safe, natural form of high. But there is no evidence-based indication for medical use of either kratom or 7-OH.”
A Market Without Standards or Disclosure
The absence of federal regulation means that kratom products on sale today contain unpredictable and undisclosed concentrations of active compounds. Consumers have no reliable way to know what they are consuming, what dosage they are taking, or what the full range of side effects may be. This regulatory gap directly contributes to the escalating dependence problem.
Why 7-OH Is Far More Dangerous Than Leaf Kratom
7-hydroxymitragynine is a concentrated extract of a compound found naturally in the kratom leaf. Its potency, however, is not merely an incremental step up from leaf kratom. 7-OH can be 15 to 40 times more potent than the leaf form, creating a dramatically higher risk of addiction in a much shorter period of time.
The consequences are serious and well documented. Use of kratom and 7-OH can cause withdrawal symptoms, mood swings, rising tolerance, intense cravings, and in severe cases, overdose and death. The US Poison Centers are actively tracking serious health effects tied to 7-OH exposure, and the volume of cases is increasing.
In July 2025, the FDA took steps to restrict the availability of 7-OH products. However, leaf kratom remains entirely unregulated at the federal level, allowing it to be sold freely in gas stations, supplement stores, and online marketplaces across the country.
The Human Cost: Real Stories from Real Patients
The statistics represent real people — individuals who often had no idea what they were getting into when they first tried these products.
One Workit Health member described his experience clearly: “I was in quite a bit of pain when someone told me I should try this new, stronger kratom. I stupidly believed that that’s all that 7-OH was. I had no idea how addictive it can be. By June, I was taking upwards of 240 mg of 7-OH per day. I tried to wean down on my own, but the withdrawals were so bad I couldn’t function normally.”
The Impact Extends to Families
Addiction to kratom and 7-OH does not affect only the individual using them. The toll extends to families and communities in ways that are devastating and often underreported. One woman described watching her husband’s dependence deepen over time: “As his dependence on kratom deepened, I saw the spark fade from his eyes. At his lowest point, he contemplated suicide. He told me he felt trapped.”
These accounts reflect a pattern that clinicians at Workit Health are seeing with increasing frequency — an addiction that develops quietly, is frequently dismissed as non-serious because the product is “natural,” and by the time it is recognised, has already taken a serious psychological and physical toll.
How Workit Health’s Treatment Works
Workit Health was founded in 2015 by two women in recovery. Since then, it has delivered care to more than 35,000 members across the country. Its model is built around a virtual-first approach that removes the most common barriers to treatment — transportation, scheduling, stigma, and cost.
Through the Workit Health app, members can attend video appointments with licensed clinicians, connect with a peer recovery community, access therapeutic and psychosocial support, and receive e-prescriptions for medications that address cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The entire programme is accessible from home, making it viable for working adults, parents, people in rural areas, and anyone for whom attending an in-person clinic is not practical.
Designed Around Harm Reduction
Workit’s clinical philosophy centres on harm reduction — meeting people where they are, lowering barriers to entry, reducing the shame that often prevents people from seeking help, and supporting sustainable long-term recovery rather than demanding immediate abstinence. This approach has proven effective. Studies show that Workit members stay in treatment longer and report better outcomes than those in traditional care settings.
The Role of Buprenorphine in Kratom Recovery
One of the most clinically significant aspects of Workit Health’s kratom programme is its use of buprenorphine — a medication already well established as a gold-standard treatment for opioid use disorder.
Because 7-OH and kratom interact with opioid receptors in the brain, buprenorphine — which acts on those same receptors — can effectively manage both the cravings and the withdrawal symptoms associated with kratom dependence. This is not an off-label experiment; the mechanism is well understood and directly supported by clinical pharmacology.
As Dr. Coffey notes: “The good news is that buprenorphine, which is a remarkably safe and effective treatment for opioid use disorder, can also be used to treat kratom or 7-OH use disorder.” This means that patients do not have to navigate an entirely untested treatment pathway. Instead, they can benefit from decades of research and clinical experience with a medication that already has a strong safety and efficacy record.
The Regulatory Landscape Around Kratom
The regulatory environment around kratom is fragmented and rapidly evolving. At the federal level, leaf kratom remains unregulated by the FDA, despite the agency’s growing concerns about its risks. The FDA’s July 2025 action restricting 7-OH was a meaningful step, but it leaves a large portion of the kratom market untouched.
Meanwhile, state, county, and municipal governments have moved at different speeds and in different directions. Some jurisdictions have restricted or banned kratom sales. Others have taken no action. This inconsistency means that consumer exposure to high-potency kratom products varies significantly depending on geography, creating uneven public health outcomes across the country.
The broader trend, however, is clearly toward increased regulatory scrutiny. Workit Health’s decision to launch a dedicated kratom treatment programme positions it ahead of what is likely to be a growing clinical demand as more patients seek help and more providers recognise the severity of kratom use disorder.
Why Online Treatment Matters for This Population
People struggling with kratom and 7-OH dependence are a population that is particularly difficult to reach through traditional treatment channels. Many do not think of themselves as having a drug problem because kratom is sold legally and marketed as a supplement. Seeking in-person addiction treatment carries significant social stigma — especially for those in professional or family roles.
Telehealth removes many of these obstacles. Workit Health’s fully virtual model means that someone can schedule an appointment during a lunch break, attend a video visit from their car or their living room, and receive a prescription without anyone else needing to know. This level of discretion is not a secondary feature — for many people in this population, it is the difference between seeking treatment and not seeking it at all.
Furthermore, Workit’s programme accepts most insurance plans and offers self-pay pricing for those without coverage. Combined with the convenience of app-based access, this makes evidence-based kratom treatment available to a far wider population than traditional clinic-based models can reach.
