08/26/2026
⚠️ AT FIRST GLANCE… WOULD YOU THINK THIS IS JUST ROOT BEER?
The colors. The root beer barrels. The words “Root Beer.” The tall beverage-style can. At first glance, this could easily look like a flavored soda, energy drink, or specialty root beer.
But look closer: it contains KRATOM.
🌿 WHAT IS KRATOM?
Kratom comes from the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree. Its primary compounds interact with opioid receptors in the body. Depending on the amount consumed, kratom can produce stimulant-like effects at lower amounts and more sedating or opioid-like effects at higher amounts. Kratom is now sold in numerous forms, including powders, capsules, extracts, gummies, shots—and increasingly, ready-to-drink beverages like the one pictured here.
🏫 WHY DOES THIS MATTER FOR SCHOOLS and HOUSEHOLDS?
Products like this show exactly why education and product recognition matter. A staff member walking through a cafeteria, parking lot, sporting event, or classroom could see this can and assume it is simply a root beer or energy drink.
Some things to consider:
• Beverage-style packaging can make the product appear ordinary.
• Familiar flavors like root beer may make the product seem less concerning at first glance.
• The word KRATOM can be much less noticeable than the branding and flavor.
• These products may look completely different from the traditional bags of kratom powder many professionals were originally taught to recognize.
• New products and packaging can change faster than school policies and staff training.
• Simply telling staff to “watch for kratom” isn’t enough if they don’t know what today’s kratom products actually look like. You cannot identify what you have never been taught to recognize.
As emerging products continue to be packaged to resemble everyday beverages, candy, supplements, and other familiar consumer products, visual education becomes increasingly important for educators, school resource officers, prevention professionals, administrators, parents, and communities.
Products change, packaging changes, trends change therefore our education has to change with them.
YOU CAN’T STOP WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW.
— Tall Cop Says Stop
