My understanding is Kratom is NOT looked for in the current DOT panel testing. What I would be concerned about is a hair test! There are panels that can detect Kratom. I think you will be OK. Good luck! I agree. You get sloppy and take this stuff and it's got more THC that is allowed, then test?? Well, you just bought a snoot full of trouble. You are not going to explain to your company DER, The MRO, or the FMCSA that it just was CBD oil. Pop a positive and you are in almost every situation going to be out of work for a few months. Then will find it VERY difficult to go back! Most carriers DO NOT want to be messing around with complying with 40.305 and 40.307! AND YES, you will have to go through this process EVEN because of CBD!
If it produces metabolites that are similar to those the tests do look for, then that could trigger a false positive.
----and you would be 100% correct! Just to avoid confusion on this issue. There is a difference between "looking" for a specific substance and having said substance "mimic" a looked for substance. I have tried for a while now to find out if these false positives are happening a lot. So far all I can find out is it's "possible". Not much of an answer I know. I actually was looking at this substance to help me with my pain. I decided against it because of some information I discovered that turned me off to it!
Passed my pre-employment urine and hair follicle with no problems. I'm only posting this so other drivers who may use or are deciding whether to use kratom to address health issues, (back pain, anxiety, ect.), can make their decision without concern over the federal DOT drug screen. Kratom DOES NOT make you HIGH anymore than any other OTC painkiller. You can not overdose on kratom, you will just get nauseous and puke. Kratom may or may not be a solution for you, but the internet is full of scary stories about the stuff but NO ONE HAS DIED from kratom alone. True fact. Mix it with heroin, cocaine, or alcohol and you might have a problem (death). If you are taking heroin or cocaine you probably have bigger problems than kraton when it comes to your DOT drug test. Companies CAN test for kratom, but it is not illegal federally. Kratom is illegal as I am posting below. If you are operating in a state where it is illegal you could be tested for it and probably fired or disciplined by your employer. Kratom is illegal to buy, sell, possess or use: Alabama Arkansas Indiana Rhode Island Vermont Wisconsin Kratom is legal, but may be regulated: (Kratom Consumer Protection Act, KCPA, laws to protect consumer, not restricting kratom.) Alaska Arizona – KCPA passed California – Outside San Diego, which banned it, kratom is legal in California Colorado – Outside Denver, where it’s considered illegal for human consumption, kratom is legal in Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida – Aside from being banned in Sarasota Country, kratom is legal in Florida Georgia – KCPA passed Hawaii Idaho Illinois – Outside the city of Jerseyville, kratom is legal in Illinois for those over the age of 18 Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi – Outside Union County, which has banned the substance, kratom is legal to use in Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada – KCPA passed New Hampshire – Kratom is legal for those over the age of 18 New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee – Kratom is legal for those over the age of 21 Texas Utah – KCPA passed Virginia Washington West Virginia Wyoming Is Kratom Legal in Other Countries? Outside of the United States, kratom laws also vary. In the following countries, kratom is illegal: Australia Denmark Finland Israel Japan Latvia Lithuania Myanmar Malaysia New Zealand (unless the person has a prescription from a doctor) Poland Romania Russia Singapore South Korea Sweden Thailand Vietnam
There are many other substances like this. Personally, if I were using Kratom as an OTR driver I would not be concerned about testing. The random testing is the 9 panel UA and currently, Kratom is NOT tested for. CDL holders are rarely tested in non DOT testing situations. I would also add something else. Most of the time when we are dealing with a substance that is not fully illegal in all 50 states it is NOT a primary issue. What I mean by this is if you are say stopped in Alabama and your truck is being searched 99% of the time the probable cause for the search is something else. This subject reminds me of something I went through in 2019 at the VA. I was taking Tylenol 3s for pain. Because of this, I was required to do a UA for the VA. I will never forget getting a secure message from my VA PCM about my positive test for "TCA's".Turns out that Benadryl will mimic TCA use. Yes, the VA hates all forms of TCAs. (don't ask) I actually had to stop taking Benadryl for almost a year after that.
My boyfriend bought some powder kratom from Kat's Botanicals and I tried it. I liked it and got some for myself. Helps me relax at the end of the day. I don't get high per say but I certainly feel a difference. Sometimes I get insomnia and with kratom, Im out within 10 minutes. Also I feel refreshed in the morning and don't mind my alarm clock too much.