Mom of man [allegedly] killed by kratom calls for research, not ban
Waldron’s autopsy also showed a thyroid and heart condition, a muscle relaxer and a prescription antidepressant. But toxicologists at the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office said the prescription drug interactions weren’t what caused his death — it was the very high level of kratom in his blood … But [his mom] isn’t calling for a ban on kratom, as you might expect. Instead, she supports research to find out if the substance can safely help people like her son who are struggling with addiction.
But some fear the government will step in, banning kratom before enough research is done. It’s what the Drug Enforcement Agency planned to do a year ago, basically putting kratom in the same category with hard-core drugs like heroin, ecstasy and LSD. That sparked outrage– and kratom supporters fought back: 23,000 people sent comments to the DEA urging the feds to keep kratom legal. 140,000 people signed a White House petition and even Congress got involved. Within a few weeks, the DEA halted its efforts to ban kratom.
Original Article (WTSP.com):
Mom of man killed by kratom calls for research, not ban
Artwork Fair Use: Ken Eckert