Why an over-the-counter herbal supplement is raising alarms after college deaths
Ole Miss student from Atlanta found dead near kratom package
Mississippi investigators found retail kratom packages near the body of 20-year-old Atlanta native Robert Strang.
A 20-year-old University of Mississippi student from Atlanta was found dead under suspicious circumstances near packages of a highly addictive herbal supplement, according to police.
Ole Miss student death
What we know:
Ole Miss junior Robert Strang, 20, was found dead alongside retail packages of kratom, according to Mississippi investigators.
Authorities also found freshman Aidan Hamilton dead in a separate location with similar packages.
Strang's family, who released a photo Thursday evening, said in a statement that they are trying to process an "unimaginable loss."
Mississippi police investigation
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet determined the official cause of death for either student.
Investigators are currently awaiting toxicology report results to confirm whether kratom played a role.
Kratom health risks
The backstory:
Kratom comes from a tree in Southeast Asia and acts like an opioid in the human body.
While it remains legal for anyone 21 and older in Georgia, Dean Francis of End Kratom Addiction warned that users often take increasing amounts just to feel normal.
Rob Hauser with Georgia Sky Outpatient Detox, which operates in Acworth and Marietta, noted that kratom addiction now overtakes fentanyl withdrawal cases in some instances.
Georgia kratom regulations
Big picture view:
Georgia lawmakers proposed a bill in January to completely ban kratom, but the measure failed to reach the governor's desk.
The supplement is available in smoke shops, gas stations and convenience stores, and remains legal in all but eight states.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kratom use has surged 2,500% over the last decade.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Rob DeRienzo, who spoke with Mississippi investigators, the family of Robert Strang, Dean Francis of End Kratom Addiction, and Rob Hauser of Georgia Sky Outpatient Detox. This story is being reported out of Atlanta.