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Authorities target pain-relieving herb — no, not medical marijuana |
"This is Florida's next crisis," Jacobs said. "We must at some point figure out how to become proactive rather than reactive to these kinds of efforts." |
South Florida's kratom cocktail bars may see herbal drug outlawed |
At low doses, kratom produces stimulant effects, making people more talkative, alert and energetic, according to a DEA fact sheet. At high doses, kratom users can experience the drug’s sedative effects, the report shows. |
Kratom Information |
Is Kratom just a tropical plant? |
Federal authorities seize more than $3 million worth of products containing kratom |
U.S. Marshals, along with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators, seized more than 250,000 units of dietary supplements and bulk dietary ingredients that are or contain kratom, including 1,000 kilograms of bulk kratom. Mitragyna speciosa, or Kratom, is a plant that grows in certain Southeast Asian countries and has been indicated to have narcotic and stimulant-like effects. The complaint alleges there isn’t enough information to provide assurance about the safety of kratom and consuming kratom can lead to serious health issues including respiratory depression, vomiting, nervousness, weight loss and constipation, the complaint states. The compliant also says withdrawal symptoms may include hostility, aggression, excessive tearing, aching of muscles and jerky limb movements.
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PART 1: Hundreds died using kratom in Florida. It was touted as safe. |
He decided to try kratom, a dusty green psychoactive powder from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree. It was marketed as a safe way to ease anxiety and mimic the effects of opioids. It was legal, virtually unregulated and described as all-natural. He could find it at gas stations, cafes, smoke shops or online. |
DEADLY DOSE PART 2: As dangerous kratom products go unregulated, lobbyists write the laws |
As medical examiners log an increasing number of overdoses involving kratom across Florida and elsewhere, the industry has largely operated without government constraints or safety measures that could help protect consumers. |
DEADLY DOSE PART 3: Kratom’s path across the US is marked by deception and secrets |
Some of the tactics in the kratom business may sound familiar. They mirror the strategies that were used for another controversial product — synthetic cannabis compounds, or “Spice.”
More than a decade ago, U.S. officials spotted a trend. Importers, court records show, were slipping Spice into the country from China by calling the white chemicals “cosmetics” or “sodium.” Products found at gas stations promised Spice was “herbal incense” or “not for human consumption.” |
How the Tampa Bay Times investigated the kratom industry |
The Times requested Florida autopsy reports citing kratom or one of its major chemical compounds, an alkaloid called mitragynine, as a cause of death or contributing factor dating back to 2010. |
The Tampa Bay Times tested 20 kratom products. Here’s what we found. |
The Times bought the products from online vendors, gas stations, smoke shops and other businesses around the region. Below are the key testing results for each product.
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Kratom tied to nearly 600 overdose deaths in Florida, probe finds | |
Kratom products have gone unregulated in California, unnerving both fans and critics |
Matthew Lowe, executive director of the advocacy group Global Kratom Coalition, said some synthetic products have "very, very high doses" of a particular chemical found in scant amounts in kratom leaf material. Several kratom researchers have warned that chemical — 7-hydroxymitragynine — poses a higher risk of abuse. |
Kratom products have gone unregulated in California, unnerving both fans and critics |
Researchers have raised particular concern about synthesized products that isolate chemicals like 7-hydroxymitragynine, saying they could carry risks that are different from the kratom leaf long used in Thailand or Malaysia. McCurdy said when that chemical is isolated, "it's no longer really a kratom product." |
Concerns about Kratom |
Kratom Concerns
click link to read additional informaiton |
Tampa Bay Times Deadly Dose Complete Article |
Excellent, comprehensive research on Kratom. Printalbe format. |
5 ways to make the kratom marketplace safer |
Researchers detail how lawmakers and regulators could establish key guardrails for selling and using the herb.
The kratom association says it has reported dozens of kratom companies to the FDA for making medical claims. When asked for these reports, the association declined to share them. Haddow- is a highly paid national lobbyist for the Kratom industry.
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