Kratom: Shady Tactics, Hidden Dangers Exposed

We applaud the recent filing of a class-action complaint in California federal court against Ashlynn Marking Group, Inc., for failing to disclose the serious risks of addiction posed by Ashlynn’s kratom-containing products. Sadly, kratom is not only causing users to become addicted, it has killed or caused catastrophic injuries to hundreds, if not thousands. And just like with the risks of addiction, the products provide no information to users on the other deadly risks. Because these products can be bought in convenience stores or online by individuals of any age, it’s not just adults who are suffering.

Identifying the appropriate defendants has been one of the most significant challenges, according to Roger Smith and Ryan Duplechin, who are heading up the kratom litigation for Beasley Allen. These kratom companies take every step to hide their operations and the identities of their leaders. As an example, look no further than a recent, multi-part series in the Tampa Bay Times detailing the lengths to which the individuals and entities involved in bringing O.P.M.S.-related kratom products to market have worked to shield their legal and civil liabilities. Fortunately, business-related or other civil lawsuits filed against Payton Palaio and the various entities he has created shed light on how these entities are organized. But more work needs to be done to hold Payton Palaio and his business associates liable for the heartache they have left in the wake of the kratom explosion.

A class-action complaint has been filed in California federal court against Ashlynn Marking Group, Inc. for allegedly not disclosing the severe risks of addiction associated with its Kratom-containing products.

Kratom is known to cause addiction and has resulted in deaths or catastrophic injuries to hundreds, if not thousands, of users. Additionally, the products do not inform users about other deadly risks. These products are available for purchase in convenience stores or online by people of any age, which means it’s not just adults suffering.

Attorneys Roger Smith and Ryan Duplechin, who are leading the Kratom litigation at Beasley Allen, say identifying the appropriate defendants has been one of the most significant challenges. Kratom companies take every step to hide their operations and the identities of their leaders. The individuals and entities in bringing OPMS-related Kratom products to market have gone to great lengths to shield their legal and civil liabilities, as evidenced in a recent multi-part series in the Tamp Bay Times.

Fortunately, the civil lawsuits filed against Payton Palaio and his various business entities have shed light on how these entities are organized. However, more work needs to be done to hold Payton Palaio and his business associates accountable for the harm caused by the Kratom explosion.