South Florida to Ban Kratom
Lawmakers in south Florida seem to be using the media to their advantage again. A recent story about a teen suicide involving unverified claims that he had been an avid Kratom user are leading lawmakers to attempt a ban of the product state-wide.
Kratom, a natural drug proven to have a large number of benefits to it has come under fire again as lawmakers prepare to pass another bill that will criminalize the drug and force it into the underground marketplace. While many see restricting its sale from minors to be more than appropriate officials are only interested in banning it altogether rather than attempting to study it’s potential uses.
“I find it to be a bit ridiculous,” Sirmeyer said. “I think it’s a great alternative to people that, you know, struggle with addiction to opiates.”
But according to Dr. Deborah Mash, a professor of neurology at the University of Miami, kratom poses the risk of addiction.
“I worry about young people, children and teenagers being exposed to this,” Mash said. “This contains a powerful opiate that has shown in many different settings it can be addictive.”
