1257: Kratom | Skeptical Sunday
The Jordan Harbinger Show
Jordan Harbinger
4.8 • 12.1K Ratings
🗓️ 14 December 2025
⏱️ 52 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Kratom: Legal high or dangerous addiction? Nick Pell breaks down this gas station opioid alternative here on Skeptical Sunday!
Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by writer and researcher Nick Pell!
Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1257
On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:
- Kratom is coffee's rebel cousin with a split personality. This plant from the coffee family produces contradictory effects based on dose: low amounts deliver stimulant energy, while high doses act as a mild opioid mimicking weak Vicodin.
- Daily high-dose kratom use (10+ grams) creates opioid-like addiction. Withdrawal symptoms mirror opioid withdrawal but milder: anxiety, muscle aches, insomnia, and flu-like symptoms lasting a week or more with minimal medical support.
- Kratom exists in regulatory limbo due to supplement laws. DSHEA (1994) treats it as food, not a drug, requiring no FDA approval. This creates quality control nightmares with zero potency or purity standards across products.
- Scientific research on kratom is scandalously sparse. Most knowledge comes from Reddit posts and YouTube videos rather than rigorous studies, leaving a potential opioid-replacement tool completely unstudied despite addiction crisis.
- Informed decision-making beats fear or hype. Research dosage, sources, and risks before trying any substance. Understanding how kratom works empowers you to make smarter choices about whether it fits your needs or should be avoided entirely.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The weight is over. Dive into Audubles' most anticipated collection, the best of 2025, featuring top audiobooks, podcasts, and originals across all genres. Our editors have carefully curated this year's must-listens, from brilliant hidden gems to the busiest new releases. |
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| 0:31.6 | Whether you love thrillers, romance, or non-fiction, |
| 0:33.6 | your next favorite listen awaits. |
| 0:38.8 | Discover why there's more to imagine when you listen at audible.com slash best of the year. |
| 0:50.1 | Welcome to Skeptical Sunday. I'm your host, Jordan Harbinger. Today I'm here with Skeptical Sunday co-host, writer and researcher Nick Pell. |
| 1:11.0 | On the Jordan Harbinger show, we decode the stories, secrets, and skills of the world's most fascinating people and turn their wisdom into practical advice that you can use to impact your own life and those around you. Our mission is to help you become a better informed, more critical thinker, and during the week we have long-form conversations with a variety of amazing folks, from spies to CEOs, athletes, authors, thinkers, and performers. |
| 1:13.0 | On Sundays, though, it's skeptical Sunday. |
| 1:16.8 | We're a rotating guest co-host and I break down a topic you may have never thought about and debunk common misconceptions about that topic. |
| 1:20.0 | Such as circumcision, sovereign citizens, e-commerce scams, chemtrails, recycling, astrology, diet pills, and more. |
| 1:26.7 | And if you're new to the show or you want to tell your friends about the show, |
| 1:29.7 | I suggest our episode starter packs. |
| 1:31.9 | These are collections of our favorite episodes on persuasion, |
| 1:34.4 | negotiation, psychology, disinformation, junk science, |
| 1:37.8 | crime and cults, and more that'll help new listeners get a taste of everything we do here on the show. |
| 1:41.8 | Just visit jordanharbinger.com slash start or search for us |
| 1:45.5 | in your Spotify app to get started. Today on the show, a single mom walks into a gas station |
| 1:50.2 | and buys a small bag of green powder in a foil pouch labeled not for human consumption. |
| 1:56.0 | She's stressed, overworked, and looking for a way to get through her next 12-hour shift. |
| 2:00.4 | Last night, she searched |
| 2:01.5 | Google for herbal Adderall and found out about this new miracle drug you can buy just about |
... |
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