Due to kratom’s rising popularity in the US, you can now find many different places that sell kratom locally. There are numerous vape shops and gas stations that sell kratom, and there are many herbal and vitamin stores that sell kratom. Since you can buy kratom from vitamin and herbal stores nearby, you might be wondering, can you buy kratom from GNC?
GNC is short for General Nutrition Center, a US-based multinational retail business that sells health and nutrition-related products, including vitamins, supplements, minerals, sports nutrition, diet, energy, and herbal products.
Since the definition of kratom is an herb derived from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree (Mitragyna speciosa), and since the most popular types of kratom products are powdered kratom tea, kratom capsules, and kratom extracts, it seems like you could buy kratom at GNC.
In this short article, we will not only let you know if you can buy kratom at GNC, but we will also examine the best places to buy kratom. This kratom blog series is also aimed to increase the general knowledge of the masses about kratom. So, let’s find out if the GNC offers any kratom for sale.
Can You Buy Kratom at GNC?
The short answer is: No. You cannot buy kratom at GNC because they don’t keep it in their inventory. There are multiple reasons why you can’t buy kratom at GNC, some of which might surprise you. We will discuss them in greater depth later in this article.
As one of the most widely-recognized stores in the US that offer herbal products for sale, it might seem like GNC is missing out on some major potential profits. Since an estimated 10–16 million Americans consume kratom each year, you’d really think that GNC would want to sell different kratom strains, kratom powders, and kratom capsules.
After all, GNC sells plenty of supplements that are not FDA-approved. Although the FDA has attacked kratom more than it has herbal supplements, and although it fears that people will dangerously abuse the herb more than they would the FDA’s own approved drugs–many of which are likely more addictive than kratom and 1000 times more likely to cause overdose deaths–kratom is a legal herb for sale in all but six states.
So if GNC wanted to sell kratom, they could, right? So, why not? What’s the bigger picture
The Kratom Controversy
The prime reason that Kratom GNC never happened is because of the controversy surrounding kratom’s legal status. Big-box stores like GNC or Walgreens are famous for avoiding controversial products, and kratom has earned itself a debatable reputation.
Few people are aware that it is a natural botanical herb obtained from the Mitragyna speciosa trees. Since the history of kratom in the United States is so recent, there are not many scientific studies on kratom, and misinformation on kratom is all over the internet. Though researchers are now studying kratom’s potential for overcoming opioid addiction, the debate on whether kratom is a relatively safe herbal remedy for pain management or an addictive recreational drug has persisted through the years.
The FDA still maintains that kratom is addictive; that it has a high potential for abuse and should not be used as an herbal alternative to opioids and painkillers (they urge Americans to dispose of any kratom products in their possession). Supported by the FDA, the DEA planned on banning kratom in 2016 as a schedule I drug, although it changed its mind in a groundbreaking reversal when it received backlash from the public and members of the scientific community.
Similarly, when the FDA met with the World Health Organization to reconsider kratom for scheduling, many feared that the FDA would pursue a global kratom ban.
Although promising new kratom research has led numerous scientists to stress the need for more kratom studies, the FDA is still cracking down on kratom products for contamination, medical claims, and credit card processing illegalities.
Why GNC Doesn’t Sell Kratom
Although kratom remains legal in all but 6 states (several of which have misclassified it as a “synthetic substance”), it remains risky for big stores to sell kratom, even in states where kratom is legal.
Many places that sell kratom have trouble finding a means to process credit card payments since many banking businesses have labeled kratom as a “risky” business and have denied services to stores that sell kratom.
Although this was backed by the government during Operation Choke Point (which ended in 2017), kratom vendors and other businesses (such as stores that sell firearms, CBD, legal marijuana, fireworks, or even charities) still get denied by major banking companies, despite selling legal products.
Thus, since GNC doesn’t encounter banking difficulties by selling herbal supplements, it would only make things harder for GNC to sell kratom as it would likely be denied its current banking services. This is generally risky for profits since payment processors that accept kratom businesses are unreliable.
Will Kratom Get Banned in the Future?
Currently, the future legal status of kratom in the US is uncertain. Although there is a push from the American Kratom Association to regulate kratom on a state level, it seems highly unlikely that the FDA will approve kratom any time soon.
In 2018, the FDA wanted to ban two alkaloids in kratom as Schedule I controlled substances, but their request was denied by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
According to Dr. Brett Giroir, former assistant secretary of health, the FDA can recommend a substance to be scheduled but cannot schedule it. He Tweeted that the FDA’s recommendation to ban kratom in 2018 was rejected because of “embarrassingly poor evidence & data, and a failure to consider overall public health.”
If you want to one day buy kratom from GNC, Costco, or any other store that doesn’t sell kratom due to its risky status, it’s important to fight misinformation on kratom. Many kratom advocates believe that the FDA uses misleading data on kratom to act in its own financial and political interests rather than for public health. The American Kratom Association hopes to get kratom regulated as an herbal supplement, rather than as an unregulated botanical.
However, not many people consider how misinformation is also spread by kratom consumers, online kratom vendors, and Reddit kratom forum users, as is outlined in a 2019 study on kratom policy.
“The unregulated sale of kratom via the internet and deceitful marketing practices may have prompted some individuals to use kratom as a recreational drug. This poorly regulated market, wide distribution, and reported risks of toxicity associated with kratom use, are all likely to have encouraged regulatory agencies to suggest the removal of this product from the market.”
Before stores like GNS start selling kratom, it’s important to support the best kratom vendors available at the moment. The best places that sell kratom are the ones that make an effort to fight disinformation, avoid making illegal health claims (about “the benefits of kratom” or “how to take kratom for pain”), lab-test kratom for contaminants, and commit to customer transparency.
Where Else Can You Buy Kratom?
Of course, in regards to the question “can you buy kratom at GC”, the answer is “no, you cannot”. However, if you’re wanting to know where to buy kratom near me or online, there are many other places to buy kratom available, thanks to the rising popularity of kratom in Oregon, New York, Wyoming, and many US states.
Luckily, countless options exist in the kratom world and customers can choose between two main categories: local kratom providers and online kratom providers.
If kratom is legal in your state then you can find several local stores to buy kratom capsules, kratom powders, and more. These options include:
- Specialized Kratom Stores
- Smoke Shops/Vape Shops
- Gas Stations
- Pubs and Bars
Keep in mind when looking for places that sell kratom “near me that that the variety of different kratom strains for sale at headshops and other local vendors might be limited, and their prices might be high.
Your best bet is to look for online kratom vendors that offer high-quality kratom for sale at cheap prices with low shipping costs, good customer service, and a good reputation.
Many of the best kratom vendors are online; they have an established reputation, a commitment to improving kratom processing methods, and a dedication to sourcing kratom from reliable sources.
Kratom for Sale Online
If you want to find the best websites to buy kratom online, make sure to read kratom vendor reviews, such as those in our kratom blog section.
Here at Buy Kratom Bulk USA, we’re dedicated to not only providing some of the best kratom for sale at wholesale prices, but also improving kratom knowledge online.
We source our kratom directly from Southeast Asia; we speak face-to-face with the farmers who grow the kratom that we sell. Furthermore, we lab-test our kratom and strive for consistent kratom strains in our kratom capsules and kratom powder for sale.
