ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) – More than 1.7 million Americans used the plant-extract kratom in 2021, according to surveys, but many are now concerned about the drug’s use and wide availability.
The American Kratom Association recently issued a consumer advisory about companies that don’t follow its standards.
The advisory followed reports of a Florida woman who died as a result of taking a product that didn’t follow the association’s standards.
Kratom is an extract from a plant called mitragyna speciosa from southeast Asia, a relative of the coffee plant.
It contains “mitragynine,” which, in lower doses, can combat fatigue and increase focus.
In higher doses, doctors say, the drug can act like a narcotic, activating the same receptors that opioids do. In fact, one of its common uses is to alleviate opioid withdrawal.
There is a risk of side effects, including liver toxicity, seizures, respiratory failure and substance use disorder.
Read more at KMOV4