Nico Tortorella credits ‘dangerous’ plant kratom for 11 year sobriety – but what is it?
Nico Tortorella credited the plant Kratom for his 11 years of sobriety. (Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images/ Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Scream star Nico Tortorella has credited the plant kratom for his 11 years of sobriety, raising questions about what it is – and whether it’s legal.
Tortorella, who came out as non-binary in 2018 and said in 2024 that he has since returned to using he/him pronouns, celebrated the milestone on Instagram.
Alongside a length written post about kratom, he wrote: “11 years sober from alcohol today. Been thinking a lot about plants and spirits.”
Kratom is not currently marketed in the US as a “drug product, a dietary supplement, or a food additive in conventional food”. The FDA states that until the agency’s scientists can look into its safety and effectiveness in treating medical conditions, it will warn the public against using it.
It is a highly controversial holistic method, with many people reporting of its very addictive nature and therefore urging others away from using it.
Even under Tortorella’s post, commenters urged him to try other options. One person said: “Please be careful you have a beautiful family that needs you to be present. Being on any mind altering substance continously doesn’t give them that gift.”
Another wrote: “This can be very dangerous. As an ICU nurse that has taken care of patients on this, I highly recommend trying better safer routes. This is not the route to go. Much safer ways. Because kratom is addicting as well and can do so much harm.”
A third added: “I have seen first hand how addictive it can be and how someone struggling with sobriety can become dangerously dependent and addict to it. Please respect and use with caution.”
Tortorella has also spoken to US Weekly about his sobriety journey.
The actor, best known for starring in slasher franchise Scream, as well as zombie series The Walking Dead, is married to fitness coach Bethany C. Meyers. Together they share two children: daughter Kilmer Dove, two, and son Pesce Pearl, 13 months.
He said of having a family with his partner of nearly 20 years: “I had to get sober to realise that dream. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I kept drinking. I probably wouldn’t be married. I definitely wouldn’t have kids.”
The Walking Dead star, who was discussing his kratom-infused drink, DER, got sober in 2015 after finishing season one of Younger.
Tortorella credited his wife for helping him abstain from alcohol, as well as the plant kratom, which is an ingredient in his alcohol-free beverage.
He said of the plant: “I found the plant kratom like eight, nine years ago after I got sober from alcohol…
“I knew that I wanted to make a Kratom product that [has] a very low dose [of] 30 milligrams. It’s the lowest drink that is kratom-only on the market. I found a friend in this plant.”
What is kratom?
Kratom is a herbal supplement derived from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia.
At low doses, the plant, which is usually ground into a powder but available in liquid form, has a stimulant effect. At higher doses, people have reported that it reduces pain and makes them feel calm and less anxious, as per the Mayo Clinic.
However, as per the Mayo Clinic, it can carry its “own risk of addiction”.
“People who take kratom believe that it helps them. But kratom hasn’t been shown to be safe or to treat any medical conditions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned people not to use kratom because of possible harm it can cause. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration calls kratom a drug of concern,” the clinic’s website states.
Currently, the FDA has said kratom is “not lawfully marketed in the US as a drug product, a dietary supplement, or a food additive in conventional food”.
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