Imo, if you have been addicted or even mildly lured by strong opiates, kratom is a godsend if your not ready to quit.
When a substance brings you to the absolute brink of death and you cant stop, when you wake up in an icu unable to move half of your body due to brain damage, kratom doesn't look so bad. With that said it could also be a gateway for those that are opiate curious to try something stronger, its a trade off i guess.
Moderation is key. If you abuse it, it will abuse you right back. Luckily i've found kratom to be a lot less killy than the fentanyl and benzos i was doing.
If your a potential addict reading this, stick with kava for your gabaergics, kratom for your opiates and weed for ya know...WEED