Kratom products are sold everywhere from smoke shops to gas stations, and even specialized stores.
Proponents of the herbal supplement claim it can help with a lack of energy, focus or even a natural alternative to pain medication and opioids but the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t agree and is warning people not to buy it.
Grown mainly in southeast Asia, kratom looks like an average house plant. Mac Haddow, with the American Kratom Association says the plant can be used for a number of health reasons.
“It has been used there for centuries by mostly laborers who would pick the leaves from the trees which grow everywhere,” Haddow said. “They would chew on him for an energy boost and increase focus and some, because of the long hot days they were working, would use it in order to as an analgesic to relieve pain”.
Read more at CBS19.