Kratom targeted in crackdowns by states and cities

Kratom an herb with opioid-like effects, is sold widely. In the absence of federal regulation, states and cities have been banning it or enacting rules and restrictions.

Nearly two years ago, Beth Quinn’s son Brendan was found dead at 48 from an apparent overdose of kratom, an herb with opioid- and stimulant-like effects that have given it the nickname “gas station heroin.” Quinn blames the lack of regulation over kratom for the death of her son, who left behind a 15-year-old daughter.

“There was no dosage advice,” said Quinn, a former newspaper editor who lives in upstate New York. “There was nothing except a ‘not our problem if you die, it’s on you, man.’”

Kratom is sold legally and widely at vape shops, gas stations and convenience stores in liquid, tablet or powder form. The American Kratom Association, which advocates for consumer access to the substance, says it’s a roughly $1.5 billion-per-year industry.

Kratom is not regulated as a controlled substance, though the Drug Enforcement Administration lists it as a “drug of concern.” The FDA has not approved kratom for any purpose, but supplements do not require the agency’s sign-off to be sold.

Kratom was the cause of 91 overdose deaths from July 2016 to December 2017, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But some estimates put the toll far higher: An analysis by The Washington Post found kratom listed as the leading or partial cause of death in at least 4,100 deaths from 2020 to 2022, and an investigation by the Tampa Bay Times last year found that more than 580 people in Florida alone had died from kratom-related overdoses since 2013.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/kratom-targeted-crackdowns-states-cities-rcna166661

---