A dangerous drug being branded as a 'natural supplement' has caused a number of known deaths in America.
Patti Wheeler’s son, Wyatt Wheeler, only took kratom for six weeks when he died of an overdose three years ago.
Kratom is a herbal extract from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, an evergreen tree that grows in Southeast Asia.
It can be consumed in several ways, including chewing the leaves, swallowing the dried leaf powder, brewing it as a tea, or taking it in concentrated extract or liquid form.
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The drug has been labeled as a having various health benefits, which include lifting mood and pain relief, according to May Clinic.
In the US, Kratom can be purchased legally online and at gas stations, whereas in the UK, its sale is prohibited.
Wyatt, 27, was looking for an alternative to alcohol while attending the Neely School of Business at Texas Christian University in 2022.
After coming across kratom 'to try to take the edge off during a party', his mum said she would find the 'herbal vitamins in his bathroom'.
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"I said, ‘What is it?’ And he said, 'Oh Mom, it's just supplements'," Patti told People.
Just two weeks later, her son tragically died from a seizure on 25 October 2022.
The US Food and Drug Administration said in a release that they are now targeting 7-OH, a concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary warned: “7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine.
“We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.”
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They agency says side effects include: "Nausea, itching, sweating, dry mouth, constipation, increased urination, tachycardia, vomiting, drowsiness, and loss of appetite.
"Users of kratom have also experienced anorexia, weight loss, insomnia, hepatotoxicity, seizure, and hallucinations."
It comes after Washington resident Jordan McKibban, 37, collapsed and died in his bathroom in 2022.
Pam Mauldin said her son died from taking Kratom products after an autopsy revealed a compound in the substance called mitragynine, reports the New York Post.
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Matthew Eller was just 22 when he died from taking the 'gas station heroin'.
“When he moved out of my house in 2020, I found empty kratom packets with price stickers of over $20 on them, which explained why he was always broke despite having a good job,” his mum, Susan, told The Sun.
“He said he used kratom for energy, and said it’s like coffee. I looked it up online, but at that time, it was almost all positive information. Matthew nor I had any idea it could kill him.
"My son’s toxicology reports show he died from kratom alone - no other substances nor underlying health conditions.”
Anish Vij