Kratom has a lot of noise around it — some of it accurate, much of it not. As a company that has spent more than a decade sourcing, testing, and selling kratom, we hear the same myths over and over. Here are three of the most common ones, and what is actually true.
First, the basics: kratom is Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Botanically, it belongs to the same plant family as coffee. That is what it is — a plant. Let's clear up what it isn't.
Myth #1: “Kratom Is a Synthetic Drug”
This is one we hear constantly, and it is simply not true. Kratom is a natural plant leaf — it grows on a tree and is harvested, dried, and milled into powder. It is not synthesized or manufactured in a lab.
Where the confusion comes from is the marketplace, not the plant. There are highly concentrated, synthesized, and semi-synthetic products being sold under the “kratom” name — isolates and lab-made compounds that don't occur anywhere in nature. Those are a different category entirely. Traditional, whole-leaf kratom is a plant; the synthetic products showing up in some gas stations and smoke shops are not. Knowing the difference is everything, which is why we lab-test what we sell and have never participated in the synthetic market.
Myth #2: “All Kratom Is the Same”
If kratom is just a leaf, the thinking goes, then one bag is as good as another. Not even close. The same plant can come off the supply chain in completely different conditions depending on where it was grown, how it was handled, and whether anyone tested it before it was packaged.
We've walked the farms in Indonesia and Thailand. We've seen leaves harvested and dried cleanly, and we've seen plantations sitting next to village runoff and mining operations. Geography matters too — volcanic soil can carry heavy metals, and leaves washed downstream from a mine can pick up contaminants. You cannot tell any of this by looking at a bag of powder. You can only know it through testing.
That is why every NuWave batch is lab-tested for purity, heavy metals, and microbials before it ever reaches a customer. If you want the detail, here is why kratom lab testing matters and the Good Manufacturing Practices we hold ourselves to. “A store sells it, so it must be fine” is not a standard — testing and transparency are.
Myth #3: “Kratom Is an Opioid”
This one shows up even in the media, and it is not accurate. Kratom is not in the opioid family. Botanically, it sits in the coffee family, Rubiaceae — the same family as your morning cup of coffee. Its primary alkaloid is mitragynine.
The distinction matters in practical ways. For instance, it is part of why kratom does not behave like an opiate on a standard drug panel — a topic we cover in depth in our honest guide to kratom and drug testing. Calling kratom an “opioid” is a category error, plain and simple.
The Bottom Line
Most kratom myths come down to two things: not knowing what the plant actually is, and not knowing where a specific product came from. Kratom is a natural botanical, not a synthetic. Not all of it is equal. And it is not an opioid. The rest is about sourcing and testing — which is exactly where a transparent company earns your trust and a gas-station counter can't.
If you're checking your local rules, here is our 2026 state-by-state guide to kratom legality. And if you want a clean, lab-tested place to start, shop lab-tested EXP Kratom.
Get in Touch
Questions about our products or our testing? Reach our team at orders@nuwavebotanicals.com — we're always glad to help.
Important Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Kratom products are intended strictly for individuals 21 years of age or older.