What is Feel Free Tonic? And is it safe to drink?

Feel Free tonics launched in 2020 and were marketed aggressively as a clean energy boost and a “safe alternative to alcohol.” By 2023, complaints started showing up online about how habit-forming the drink could be. In 2024, things picked up speed as people began telling their own stories about Feel Free addiction on social media, often after the damage was already done.

The small blue bottle has clean lines, calming colors, and a look that screams “natural wellness.” But looks can be deceiving and downright dangerous. 

Feel Free contains two plant-based ingredients, kratom and kava. Together, they produce a calming, sedative effect that becomes a daily habit for some. 

Kratom products are unregulated substances that have been linked to addiction and cravings. Kratom acts on the same brain receptors as opioids, which builds tolerance quickly and is a big part of what makes the drink habit-forming.

Kratom naturally contains a small amount of a compound called 7-OH, which gives kratom its strongest opioid-like effects. When kratom is used as an active ingredient, there’s no clear way to know just how much is used to create a kratom-based product, like many of the kratom-based products sold in convenience stores across the country. In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings that kratom is an “unsafe food additive” and is “not lawfully marketed as a dietary supplement.” 

Botanic Tonics, the company that makes Feel Free, has since added a warning to the label and settled a class action lawsuit. But for many people, those warnings came too late.

What is Feel Free tonic?

Feel Free tonic is an herbal supplement drink sold in small 2-oz bottles by Botanic Tonics. You’ll find it in smoke shops and gas stations. Unlike most dietary supplements, you have to be 21 to buy it.

Between the premium wellness aesthetic and healthy-lifestyle branding, it’s easy to assume Feel Free is a harmless pick-me-up. But it’s not. Feel Free is a mood-altering tonic made with kava and kratom, two ingredients that carry serious health risks and potential for addiction. 

You may have seen Feel Free ads on social media or heard your favorite podcaster talk about its benefits. It’s marketed as a “natural mood booster” and “productivity enhancer” that promises focus and chill energy. The brand has also leaned hard into the sober-curious movement, positioning the tonic as an alcohol alternative that gives you a buzz without the drinking. However, that buzz isn’t as innocent as it seems. 

Google “feel free addiction” and you’ll find dozens of stories from people who tried it expecting a wellness drink with a boost and got hooked instead. Stories like that are why some have nicknamed the tonic “gas station heroin.”

What is in Feel Free tonic?

Beneath the misleading claims and slick wellness packaging, Feel Free contains two potent herbs: kava and kratom. Both produce mind-altering effects, and both carry significant risks. When combined, the risks are magnified, increasing the potential for problems like physical dependence and substance use disorder.

Kava

Kava is a root from the South Pacific, traditionally used in drinks for relaxation and ceremonial purposes. It can ease anxiety, reduce stress, and produce a euphoria similar to alcohol but without the impairment. These effects are a big reason why kava is becoming more popular with people seeking alternatives to alcohol. 

Kava isn’t considered addictive in the same way as opioids or alcohol, but it can become habit-forming. This is especially true if someone relies on it to regularly manage stress or take the edge off.

Kratom

Just because a substance is “natural” doesn’t always mean it’s safe. Kratom comes from Southeast Asian tree leaves and contains compounds that work on the same brain receptors as opioids. At lower doses, it acts more like a stimulant, while higher doses produce opioid-like sedative effects. People take it for energy, focus, relaxation, and pain relief. 

Because it acts on opioid receptors, kratom carries a bigger addiction risk than kava. Regular use can lead to dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and substance use disorder (SUD). The risk is significant enough that both the DEA and FDA have been tracking kratom and one of its active compounds, 7-OH, closely, and the FDA has issued multiple public warnings about its safety.

Side effects of Feel Free tonic

The side effects of Feel Free can range from mild digestive problems to severe dependency or liver toxicity. Intensity of symptoms depends on how much and how often someone uses Feel Free. 

Common side effects:

• Nausea, vomiting, or constipation
• Elevated heart rate
• High blood pressure
• Dehydration
• Fatigue or grogginess
• Mood swings and irritability
  

More serious effects with regular or heavy use:

• Physical dependence 
• Withdrawal symptoms, including shaking, tremors, sweating, and intense cravings
• Liver damage (usually linked to kava)
• Seizures, especially during withdrawal
  

If you’re experiencing severe abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, chest pain, or seizure activity after drinking Feel Free, contact your doctor right away and go to the nearest emergency room.

Is the Feel Free drink addictive?

The kratom in Feel Free can be addictive, a risk many may not realize because of the way the product is marketed. An independent analysis confirmed that the Feel Free Classic beverage contains “nearly undetectable levels of 7-OH.” However, when dealing with products that contain 7-OH or kratom, it can have unpredictable results that can lead to a cycle of addiction. 

For people in recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD), consuming Feel Free is even riskier because they may unknowingly try it and trigger cravings, undo recovery progress, or relapse. 

Kratom acts on the same receptors as opioids, which can make repeated use lead to dependency. Kava doesn’t act on those receptors, but it delivers a mild euphoric buzz while easing stress. These effects can turn into a habit of using Feel Free to cope with stress or difficult emotions. When kratom and kava are combined, they amplify each other’s effects, making dependence more likely.

Because kratom and 7-OH products are not FDA-regulated, it can be difficult to know just how high the concentration is. This poses a danger to consumers as they can get hooked on a beverage that could easily be picked up at a gas station. 

Risk factors for dependence include:

• A history of substance use disorder, especially opioid use disorder
• Using Feel Free to manage stress, anxiety, or low mood
• Drinking it more often or in larger amounts over time
• Believing it’s safe because it’s marketed as a wellness product

How Feel Free consumption can progress into addiction

Feel Free can lead to kratom addiction, especially when occasional use turns into a habitual way to manage energy, mood, stress, or discomfort. If you use Feel Free or know someone who does, here’s what to look out for:

1. Trying it for a quick boost.
   Some may start using Feel Free for a burst of energy, better focus, relaxation, or a mood boost. The product might feel harmless at this stage, especially if it’s thought of as a wellness drink. This false sense of security can have dire consequences. 

2. Using it more regularly.
   If occasional use becomes part of a daily routine, and Feel Free starts feeling essential to functioning normally, it can be a warning sign of becoming dependent. For instance, someone may start their day with a bottle, have another to power through crunch time at work, and reach for one more when energy levels dip, but tasks remain. 

3. Relying on it for mood or stress relief.
   The reasons for Feel Free may start to stack up more often. Tough day ahead? Feeling tired? Anxious? At this point, Feel Free acts more like a normalized part of a daily routine, which can be dangerous. 

4. Needing more to feel the same effect.
   Another early warning signal that dependence is forming is when the amount that used to work to boost energy isn’t cutting it anymore. One bottle in the morning becomes two. Two becomes three. This is a sign that the body is developing a tolerance. 

5. Feeling uncomfortable without it.
   Noticing cravings or mood swings when attempting to cut back can also be a serious sign of developing dependency. Without consuming the beverage, it might feel like everyday tasks are more difficult, or accompanied by jittery, tired, or irritated feelings. 

6. Continuing despite negative effects.
   If Feel Free starts affecting sleep, mood, finances, relationships, recovery, or health, and it still feels harder to stop drinking it, this is the clearest sign that what started as a casual habit has become dependence.

When to seek professional addiction support

Addiction is a medical condition, not a moral failing or due to a lack of willpower. It changes how the brain handles cravings and decisions, and it responds well to treatment, including medication, therapy, and ongoing support.

If you’ve found it too difficult to cut back on Feel Free, take that seriously. Common signs of dependence include:

• Drinking it more often than intended.
• Needing more to feel the same effect.
• Feeling anxious, irritable, or uncomfortable without it.
• Withdrawal symptoms when you cut back or stop.
• Hiding your use from others.
• Continuing to use it even as it affects your health, recovery, relationships, finances, or work.
  

If you’re asking yourself whether things have gone too far, it’s time to reach out to a professional. A doctor can help you stop Feel Free safely, manage withdrawal, and figure out what role this drink has been playing in your day. For anyone in recovery, that conversation can also help protect the progress you’ve made. 

If Feel Free has gotten harder to step away from, our doctors at QuickMD can help. We offer same-day virtual visits for kratom and 7-OH dependence and ongoing recovery support. Reach out whenever you’re ready. We’ll be here.

Quit Feel Free with the help of QuickMD

Feel Free was sold to you as a wellness drink. If it’s turned from an every now and then drink to an every single day drink, you can get help figuring out the next steps.