NEW YORK, NY — As public awareness around kratom continues to shift, art and culture are beginning to reflect what clinicians have been witnessing for years.
The recent premiere of the documentary Kratom: Side Effects May Include marks one of the most urgent cultural reckonings yet around the substance’s real-world risks, echoing patterns long observed by treatment professionals at Mountainside Treatment Center. The film investigates the lethal consequences and regulatory gaps surrounding kratom products commonly sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores.
As directors Jamie and Jason Neese noted, they were compelled by the alarming reality that something sold “in a gas station next to Skittles” could be deadly — a stark reflection of the regulatory and public awareness gaps clinicians have been warning about for years.
Long before kratom entered the broader cultural conversation, Mountainside clinicians were treating individuals and families impacted by its use, misuse, and dangerous drug interactions, including fatal outcomes. For years, Mountainside has remained at the forefront of clinical research, treatment, and recovery related to kratom use — a substance often mischaracterized as “natural” or harmless that has long fallen through regulatory and cultural blind spots.
Kratom: Side Effects May Include brings together firsthand accounts, expert insight, and lived experience to examine the consequences of kratom use. The film centers in part on Patti Wheeler, whose son Wyatt died as a result of kratom-related complications after only several weeks of use, offering a deeply human perspective on a crisis that often unfolds quietly and without warning.
Wheeler recently joined Jana Wu, Director of Clinical Integration at Mountainside, on the center’s podcast, Sober Spill, for a candid conversation about Wyatt’s story, the motivations behind the film, and the growing urgency surrounding kratom awareness. The episode, now live, offers listeners an intimate look at the personal loss and advocacy driving Wheeler’s work to ensure other families do not face similar tragedy.
Producer Joanne Rubino described the documentary as “a labor of love,” inspired by Wyatt’s story and the urgency of public awareness.
“In all my years in the entertainment industry, I have never been part of a more important project,” said Rubino. “It carries a powerful message that I wish would have come much sooner.”
Mountainside’s work has extended far beyond treatment alone. The organization founded the first clinician-led national kratom support group and continues to bridge clinical expertise with public education, advocacy, and cultural dialogue.
“This moment represents a convergence,” said Jana Wu, Director of Clinical Integration at Mountainside. “When clinical insight, lived experience, and cultural storytelling align, real change becomes possible.”
The film’s creators describe the documentary as both an investigation and a warning.
“Kratom is the next installment of controversial supplements that one day we will wonder how it ever slipped through government regulation,” said directors Jamie and Jason Neese.
For Mountainside clinicians, that question has already been central to their work with individuals and families navigating the consequences of kratom use.
As conversations around kratom gain momentum nationwide, Mountainside remains committed to leading with evidence-based care, transparency, and compassion — supporting individuals, families, and communities affected by substances that too often fall through regulatory and cultural gaps.
The recent premiere of the documentary Kratom: Side Effects May Include marks one of the most urgent cultural reckonings yet around the substance’s real-world risks, echoing patterns long observed by treatment professionals at Mountainside Treatment Center. The film investigates the lethal consequences and regulatory gaps surrounding kratom products commonly sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores.
As directors Jamie and Jason Neese noted, they were compelled by the alarming reality that something sold “in a gas station next to Skittles” could be deadly — a stark reflection of the regulatory and public awareness gaps clinicians have been warning about for years.
Long before kratom entered the broader cultural conversation, Mountainside clinicians were treating individuals and families impacted by its use, misuse, and dangerous drug interactions, including fatal outcomes. For years, Mountainside has remained at the forefront of clinical research, treatment, and recovery related to kratom use — a substance often mischaracterized as “natural” or harmless that has long fallen through regulatory and cultural blind spots.
Kratom: Side Effects May Include brings together firsthand accounts, expert insight, and lived experience to examine the consequences of kratom use. The film centers in part on Patti Wheeler, whose son Wyatt died as a result of kratom-related complications after only several weeks of use, offering a deeply human perspective on a crisis that often unfolds quietly and without warning.
Wheeler recently joined Jana Wu, Director of Clinical Integration at Mountainside, on the center’s podcast, Sober Spill, for a candid conversation about Wyatt’s story, the motivations behind the film, and the growing urgency surrounding kratom awareness. The episode, now live, offers listeners an intimate look at the personal loss and advocacy driving Wheeler’s work to ensure other families do not face similar tragedy.
Producer Joanne Rubino described the documentary as “a labor of love,” inspired by Wyatt’s story and the urgency of public awareness.
“In all my years in the entertainment industry, I have never been part of a more important project,” said Rubino. “It carries a powerful message that I wish would have come much sooner.”
Mountainside’s work has extended far beyond treatment alone. The organization founded the first clinician-led national kratom support group and continues to bridge clinical expertise with public education, advocacy, and cultural dialogue.
“This moment represents a convergence,” said Jana Wu, Director of Clinical Integration at Mountainside. “When clinical insight, lived experience, and cultural storytelling align, real change becomes possible.”
The film’s creators describe the documentary as both an investigation and a warning.
“Kratom is the next installment of controversial supplements that one day we will wonder how it ever slipped through government regulation,” said directors Jamie and Jason Neese.
For Mountainside clinicians, that question has already been central to their work with individuals and families navigating the consequences of kratom use.
As conversations around kratom gain momentum nationwide, Mountainside remains committed to leading with evidence-based care, transparency, and compassion — supporting individuals, families, and communities affected by substances that too often fall through regulatory and cultural gaps.
About the Film
Kratom: Side Effects May Include investigates the lethal consequences and regulatory gaps surrounding a plant-based extract found in everyday locations such as gas stations. With gripping stories of victims and the sometimes controversial advocates who argue its benefits, this feature documentary explores the complex narrative of kratom — an unregulated substance that some claim has cost thousands of lives.
Mountainside Treatment Center
Mountainside believes that everyone is capable of achieving recovery. Our compassionate, best-in-class staff provides comprehensive treatment with a holistic approach for you and your loved ones—delivered inpatient, outpatient, or virtually. Since our founding in 1998, this approach has positively reshaped the lives of more than 20,000 alumni. We know that people don’t get sober to stop using; they get sober to start living. Mountainside has been nationally recognized as one of the first treatment centers to earn ASAM 3.7, Joint Commission, and CARF accreditations, affirming its leadership in substance use disorder and drug and alcohol treatment. Addiction isn’t a choice. Mountainside is. We encourage you to learn more about how we do more and care more at mountainside.com.