People often assume that natural products are harmless or non-addictive. However, natural products can have side effects just like pharmaceuticals. In March 2025, Botanic Tonics’ CEO reported that Feel Free had surpassed a quarter of a billion dollars in annual sales profitability during its third year. According to NielsenIQ data, as of July 2024, Feel Free held the No. 1 spot for eight consecutive quarters in the ‘Shelf Stable Energy & Supplements in Convenience’ category. By August 2025, Botanic Tonics stated it had sold over 129.7 million servings of Feel Free. Yet, despite its commercial success, some users have begun to question the product’s true cost, with some even referring to it as “Feel Trapped” due to concerns over dependency or side effects.
What are the ingredients in Feel Free CLASSIC?
Unlike pharmaceuticals, natural products like Feel Free aren’t subject to rigorous regulation, leaving consumers uncertain about their actual composition. For instance, Feel Free CLASSIC is marketed as alcohol- and caffeine-free, yet it contains kava root and leaf kratom, substances that can have significant effects on the body. Many users say it’s the combination of these ingredients that’s particularly concerning due to their potential for adverse effects.
The Feel Free Kava Maté version, meanwhile, although transparent about its caffeine source (yerba maté), may not highlight the risks involved in just how much caffeine is delivered from this product’s version of the caffeinated tea. Understanding these ingredients, products, and their potential impacts is critical for uncovering short- and long-term risks.
Is kratom addictive?
Although there are a number of ingredients to be concerned about in Feel Free drinks, kratom is the main one. According to the Child Mind Institute, kratom is a legal drug that’s “dangerously addictive.” It’s unusual in that it functions as a stimulant at low levels and an opioid at higher doses. The lack of federal regulation means that kratom is readily available, including to minors, sometimes without age verification.
Many states have passed Kratom Consumer Protection Acts (KCPA) that regulate its sale and sets age limits for purchase — in some cases even banning it altogether — and more states are considering similar legislation. The minimum age for purchase is usually set at either 18 or 21. To find out what the laws are in your area, you’ll have to check the rules in your jurisdiction. Keep in mind there’s still the option to order these products online, and many of these herbal solutions are readily available to kids (and adults who find themselves in an unexpected cycle of addiction) and online purchases can still bypass these restrictions.
Where can my child buy kratom drinks?
Feel Free CLASSIC and Feel Free Kava Maté are available for purchase at gas stations, convenience stores, and tobacco shops. The most common place to find them are in gas stations situated among the 5-hour ENERGY® drink shots, and the look and feel of them is not only appealing, it’s downright healthy looking. They feature a single-color blue bottle and a very “relaxed” looking font and wellness-type brand. They’re also sold by Botanic Tonics, which implies a medicinal purpose. Feel Free CLASSIC includes both kava root and leaf kratom.
The products can also be found in bars and tea houses, and the capsule/supplement versions of these products are available online.
How is the Feel Free drink different?
The sales pitch for Feel Free is different as well. Aside from looking unique to the other brands, instead of energy and focus from caffeine and B vitamins, here’s the message about its purpose in a variation of an excerpt from the founder:
“…born from a journey of discovery across the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, where the traditions of ancient plants revealed their remarkable potential. Inspired by these time-honored remedies, years of experimentation with natural ingredients led to the creation of a unique herbal blend designed to support daily well-being.”
What makes Feel Free CLASSIC different, according to users, is the formulation of the kava and kratom together. And, in most instances, you will likely be asked to show your ID when making a purchase (unlike when you buy a 5-Hour Energy bottle).
What are former addicts saying?
Some of the most convincing stories are coming from former addicts with years of sobriety from hard drugs like heroin who have found themselves back in a rehabilitation facility feeling like they’d spent time with a familiar foe after trying these drinks. However, their withdrawal symptoms were experienced alongside college kids who were just looking for some extra focus to help them through exam time. It speaks volumes about the type of “healthful” marketing placed onto a questionable formula that has been put onto the shelves with ingredients that seem innocent enough, but with dosage directions that are harder to follow than an old school Rand McNally map of San Francisco once you get your first taste.
So it’s important to talk to your kids about kratom addiction and side effects and remind them that just because something makes a lot of promises about helping you “be present,” it’s still a mind-altering substance and the consequences (and interactions with other medicines) are something that can have a much higher cost.
