Published: 07/31/2026 | Author: Nikki Wisher

A substance sold legally in gas stations across much of the country is now explicitly prohibited for every soldier in the U.S. Army. The policy does something notable for anyone tracking opioid addiction in the military. The kratom ban now routes soldiers toward clinical evaluation rather than treating the matter as a disciplinary question alone.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll issued a memo to prohibit soldiers from using, possessing or distributing kratom. The order also includes kratom’s main psychoactive components, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. The action reinforces an existing Defense Department directive that applies across all branches.

The Army’s Policy

The prohibition covers the plant material and the isolated compounds alike. The enforcement mechanism sets this policy apart from a simple ban.

Soldiers identified as having used kratom must report to a substance use disorder evaluation. These soldiers also have to attend and complete the Army Substance Abuse Program, known as ASAP, alongside Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Training. In practical terms, a positive identification triggers a clinical assessment and treatment, not just an administrative consequence.

That structure matters because kratom dependence is real, but easy to miss. Someone who uses concentrated kratom products daily for pain or fatigue may not describe themselves as having a problem with narcotics at all.

Kratom and Its Opioid-Like Effects

Kratom comes from an herbal extract taken from an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. It acts like a stimulant at low doses and like a sedative and pain reliever at higher ones, which is why people use it to self-treat a range of conditions.

The compounds that produce those effects, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, act on the brain’s mu-opioid receptors. These are the same receptors targeted by morphine, heroin, and prescription opioids. That shared mechanism allows kratom to relieve pain and produce euphoria, but can also trigger physical dependence and withdrawal.

Products containing these compounds are commonly sold as teas, capsules, vapes and gummies, frequently marketed as natural remedies. The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved them as safe and effective for any medical use, and the number of kratom poisoning cases have skyrocketed in recent months across the nation.

The Pentagon’s Actions

The Defense Department declared kratom use a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in a memorandum dated Sept. 15, effective Dec. 31.

The department noted the directive intended to protect the health, safety and readiness of service members. The Drug Enforcement Administration had considered mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine as potential Schedule I substances because of their abuse potential and health risks. A Pentagon official reported that the substances mimic opioid effects and carry risks including impairment, overdose potential and long-term health consequences.

The Other Branches

The Army is the most recent service to act, not the first.

Navy Secretary John Phelan also prohibited all sailors and Marines from using kratom products in an All Navy message back in January. He noted that use means a violation of a lawful general order under the UCMJ and can result in administrative or disciplinary action. 

The Air Force also agreed that kratom falls under its existing prohibition on naturally occurring intoxicating substances. The Air Force has thus banned kratom, even though it’s not named specifically in the service manual. 

The Coast Guard banned it in May and in fact works in tandem to keep illegal shipments of kratom from seeping through the waterways.

The result is a military-wide prohibition by every service over roughly six months.

Harm Reduction & Treatment Options

Anyone who has developed dependence on kratom or another substance acting on opioid receptors should start looking into withdrawal and treatment.

Withdrawal is uncomfortable but manageable with medical support, and it typically involves muscle aches, sweating, nausea, anxiety, insomnia and strong cravings. 

Medication for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine, can treat dependence involving opioid receptor agonists and can make stopping considerably safer and more tolerable than going it alone.

Naloxone, popularly known as Narcan, reverses opioid overdose. Anyone can keep naloxone in their household. It’s available without a prescription at pharmacies and free through many local health departments and harm reduction programs. 

Fentanyl test strips add another layer of protection for anyone using substances obtained outside a pharmacy, since the illicit supply is frequently contaminated.

Peer support fills a different gap. Narcotics Anonymous meetings are free, widely available, and open to people recovering from any substance, and many service members and veterans find that a room of people who understand the specific pressures of military life makes the difference in staying engaged.

NA Fights Opioid Addiction

The military has banned kratom, but many civilians can readily access it, buy it, and consume it. Should that happen, addiction can set in. 

Be prepared. Feel free to dial 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to chat with an expert about confidentiality protections and self-referral options before a positive identification forces the issue.

You can also meet community members and form fellowship in NA chapters to get through rough patches. Chapters dot the entire country, including your neighborhood. Simply browse our directory to find one, including virtual options if an in-person meeting is not practical.