It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans are feeling the need to intervene for the common good after series star and co-creator Rob McElhenney plugged “wellness tonic” Feel Free on the latest episode of The Always Sunny Podcast.
Chatting with co-stars Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton, McElhenney recounted how he’d recently stopped drinking alcohol, swapping his nightly Manhattan cocktail for a Feel Free, which he describes as an “over-the-counter supplement.” After Day and Howerton introduced him to it, McElhenney thought it was simply “an energy drink” and was surprised to find “it just makes you high.”
McElhenney admits that a single Feel Free wasn’t giving him the same buzz as his Manhattan, so he started having two every night, even though that “doubled the recommended dosage.” Understanding that it wasn’t working out for him, he eventually dropped the tonic and started drinking alcohol again.
Redditors of the It’s Always Sunny sub, however, have warned viewers intrigued by McElhenney’s talk of Feel Free to proceed with caution. The OP pointed out that what produces the high the actor speaks of is the herb kratom, which essentially replicates the effects of morphine and can not only be addictive but can be dangerous when taken in conjunction with other drugs, particularly sedatives. While kratom — derived from a tropical tree found in Southeast Asia — is a controlled substance in such areas as Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, it remains legal in the U.S.
“Sorry to be a narc, gang,” the Redditor concluded, “but this stuff is dangerous for people who may be prone to addiction or who are using other drugs, for medicinal or recreational purposes. I was disappointed to hear them discuss it on the podcast without knowing what it actually is.”
As Howerton alludes to, Feel Free was created by Botanic Tonics founder Jerry Ross, a former addict who developed the drink for those dependent on alcohol and drugs. In April 2023, Botanic Tonics was hit by a federal class-action lawsuit from a former customer who claimed to have been hospitalized twice in a year due to his addiction to Feel Free, allegedly stemming from its high levels of kratom, which the FDA describes as affecting “the same opioid brain receptors as morphine.”
Botanic Tonics has naturally denied the claims, responding: “We believe the suit is without merit and we will vigorously defend our product in court.”
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia season 16 airs new episodes Wednesdays on FXX.