Some are turning away from alcohol as part of the sober curious movement, while others are seeking a less harmful alternative to the usual martinis and beers.
But in the effort to find a healthier substitute for alcohol, some have turned to another drink that can reportedly send you into a crippling addiction.
Enter the elixir Feel Free, a tonic in cobalt blue bottles that's often sold in gas stations and which is now the subject of a class action lawsuit, according to Punch.
Feel Free, which is manufactured by Botanic Tonics, is marketed as a natural energy booster, focus enhancer, and mood lifter. But in addition to the mild stimulant kava, it's chock full of an addictive substance called kratom, which has a similar effect as opioids.
Originally sold as an alternative to alcohol, the beverage has been a huge success since its launch in 2021, according to Punch, selling countless bottles and ringing up millions in revenue.
But because of the addictive qualities of the kratom in the tonic, people have become hooked to the drink, Punch reports, with some emptying their bank accounts to bankroll the habit, and others signing up for rehab where they experience excruciating withdrawals.
"Feel Free had a hold on me that I had never before experienced," 34-year-old Los Angeles resident Chasin Roberts told Punch. "I couldn’t live without it. One turned into three, three turned into five, five turned into 10. I would drink as many as I could, spending whatever money I had."
"I don’t need a drug dealer," he later added. "I just go into the store and buy them."
The legality of kratom, derived from the leaves of the Kratom tropical tree, is spotty. Some states have banned it, while in others it's available in stores or online.
In 2023, a jury in the state of Washington penalized another company that sold a Kratom elixir after the business was found liable in the death of a customer.
In the class action lawsuit against Botanic Tonics, the complaint says that the company "misled consumers through their advertising strategies for Feel Free, presenting it as a safe, non-alcoholic" and "allegedly hiding its high kratom concentration."
Despite the lawsuit, Botanic Tonics does not plan on shelving the product, according to Punch.
Botanic Tonics CEO Cameron Korehbandi told Punch that the company's founder, JW Ross, is aware of the addiction stories with Feel Free but it was never meant to be an addictive drink.
"We listen to those people because we’re obviously trying to learn from the experiences people are having," he said.
More on addiction: Scientists Are Testing a Vaccine to Treat Opioid Addiction
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