A 33-year-old from Bedford has a long recovery ahead of him after overdosing on a little-known substance called kratom, which his family says is available for purchase in corner stores across Texas.
Kratom comes from a southeast Asian tropical plant and can produce both stimulant and sedative effects, depending on the amount ingested, a fact sheet from the Drug Enforcement Agency explained.
As Linda, who did not wish to release her last name, reportedly told NBC 5, her son Josh began taking legally-obtained kratom sometime last year to help with his depression. He would drink eight to 10 kratom drinks a day. He would also vape and take pills of the substance.
In late March, Josh overdosed and ended up in the ICU with his lungs 50% damaged.
These complications may be linked to his diabetes, a metabolic disorder that is on the rise in North Texas due to growing rates of obesity.
“Thankfully, he is coming out of the woods but he’s still having hallucinations,” Linda told NBC 5.
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not pursued a ban on kratom, it has issued a warning to the public about how it affects the receptors of the brain. It has also conducted numerous seizures of products containing the substance.
Kratom has recently gained popularity in the United States, especially among those seeking to manage opioid withdrawal symptoms.
In fact, some, like Mason Marks, a health law professor at Florida State University, have suggested that kratom “fills an important niche in the public health ecosystem.”
As such, a ban would lead to a rise in opioid-related overdoses and suicides, Marks argued in an op-ed in Stat News.
Yet both the fact that kratom isn’t regulated and the lack of knowledge about it have raised concerns among doctors and lawmakers.
Dr. Andrew Yockey, an assistant professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of North Texas who has done research on kratom, told NBC 5 that more studies must be done on the substance.
“The research is mixed, but it’s showing a positive effect on opioid withdrawal,” said Yockey.
Still, “While kratom is somewhat beneficial, it’s also harmful,” Yockey noted, asserting that kratom is addictive.
Its lack of regulation and how easy it is to obtain are also concerning.
“It’s like you can put anything in it,” Yockey explained. “I’m worried these substances may be tainted with something else. Or you might get kratom off the street and it could be laced with something.”
Lawmakers across the country have also voiced their concerns, with approximately 30 state legislatures currently debating the regulation of kratom.
In Texas, where kratom is currently legal for anyone over 18, House Bill 861 and Senate Bill 497 have been introduced to crack down on the substance.
Along with making the sale of it to minors a civil penalty, it will aim to ensure that vendors follow safe manufacturer standards and label their products.
Linda is particularly concerned about how kratom might harm minors.
“I know [my son] is an adult. This is completely on him. He knew better. At the same time, there’s that 17-year-old, 18-year-old who probably should know better but doesn’t,” Linda told NBC 5.