We mentioned Kratom in our blog last month when the State of Florida issued an emergency ban on a concentrated and synthetic kratom compound called 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). Florida Attorney General James UthMeier made it illegal to sell this compound found in some kratom products and classified the popular drug as a Schedule 1 controlled substance in our state.
Scientists continue to study its effects. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this supplement is typically marketed as an energy booster, mind lifter, pain reliever, and opioid withdrawal remedy. It is typically found at dispensaries, smoke shops, even restaurants, sometimes infused with drinks. Despite its growing popularity, there are many questions when it comes to kratom.
In a recent Health Alert segment on WESH News in Orlando, emergency medicine physician and toxicologist at Orlando Regional Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Thundiyil, shared findings from recent research - one being that Kratom is addictive. Some say it is compulsively addictive, with users spending hundreds of dollars a day to get a fix. It is an unregulated plant that contains 40+ chemicals and can interact with other medications a user may be taking. This may lead to severe effects, such as liver damage and even death. Also, there are still many unknowns and no proved medical benefits have been found.
According to medical examiners involved with local research, almost 40 deaths have taken place over the past 5 years in the state of Florida related to kratom use. Tremendous caution is advised, simply because this is an unregulated substance with proven adverse interactions with other medications. Doctors shared that any time there is a product like this that is addictive, it comes with high risks - especially for those already suffering from addiction, adolescents/young adults, and the elderly. Further research is needed.
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