Kevin Oliveira was 32 years old and a musician. According to his parents, he began drinking Feel Free Classic in 2023 because he thought it would help him write music—something to sharpen the edge, elevate the mood, and keep creativity flowing. Alongside other tonics and supplements that claimed natural benefits, it was offered for sale in wellness centers and smoke shops throughout Palm Beach County. It didn’t appear to be dangerous. Nothing about it suggested you should be careful.
He was discovered dead at his family’s Tequesta, Florida, home on April 21, 2025. Toxic effects of mitragynine, the main active ingredient in kratom, the main component of Feel Free Classic, were listed by the medical examiner as the cause of death. Francisco Oliveira, his father, claimed in interviews that his heart breaks every single day. His mother called it unimaginably hard. In June 2026, the family sued the manufacturer, Botanic Tonics, and a number of nearby stores that carried the product for wrongful death.
The Botanic Tonics lawsuit isn’t a single case anymore. It has expanded into something far more expansive. In April 2025, Botanic Tonics agreed to a $8.75 million class action settlement resolving claims from consumers across California, New York, and New Jersey who alleged the company sold Feel Free tonics containing kratom without adequately disclosing the health risks. The settlement covered purchases made between March 2019 and March 2025. Eligible consumers could claim reimbursement for up to ten bottles without proof of purchase, with estimated payouts ranging from roughly $175 to just under $300 per person.
The central charge in each of these cases is straightforward. Derived from a Southeast Asian plant, kratom has been connected to overdoses and fatalities due to its well-established addictive qualities. According to the lawsuit, Botanic Tonics advertised Feel Free as a natural, healthful substitute for alcohol, capitalizing on the wellness branding that has made similar products well-known, while leaving out what the plaintiffs claim were important details about the drink’s actual contents and potential uses. Botanic Tonics has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Observing all of this gives the impression that the kratom industry has been operating in a regulatory gray area for years, and that the legal system is now beginning to close the gaps left by federal agencies. In the US, kratom is not consistently regulated. While some states have completely outlawed it, others have taken no action. Earlier in 2026, Utah attempted to restrict its sales. Botanic Tonics filed a lawsuit against the state in April of that year, claiming the law would result in irreversible financial harm. The already complex legal picture is further complicated by that case.
Perhaps the most heartbreaking part of this tale is the wrongful death lawsuit that Kevin Oliveira’s parents filed. According to the complaint, a man who frequently purchased Feel Free cases from neighborhood stores developed what his family describes as severe opioid-like symptoms. He even checked himself into a detox facility before departing because the clinic was allegedly unable to adequately handle kratom withdrawal. Bottles of Feel Free were found near him when he died. His attorney has stated that kratom can be so addictive it can ultimately cost people their lives.
This story is so familiar that it’s difficult to ignore. A product that uses wellness terminology is introduced to the market. The label says natural. The branding says safe. People buy it because they trust what’s on the shelf. And then, in some cases, years later, the lawsuits come. Energy drinks marketed to teenagers, some diet supplements, and other products that outpaced the science supporting them were examples of this. It’s possible that the Botanic Tonics lawsuit is just the most recent instance of consumer protection legislation catching up to a product after harm has already been done.
Depending on who you ask, the $8.75 million settlement may or may not feel like an expense of doing business. No settlement will resolve that issue for Kevin Oliveira’s parents.
