Kratom Safety Overdose And Death Explained

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Kratom Safety Death By Extract

A Tragic Tale Unveils Kratom’s Controversial Landscape

What Is Kratom Alkaloid Toxicity and why did it lead to a young man’s overdose last December. The top headline in kratom news today is covering the recent wrongful death lawsuit brought by Ethan Pope’s parents seeking justice from manufacturers and distributors for selling this plant.

Last December Ethan Pope was found dead on his kitchen floor, it is unknown who had found him the day he overdosed but toxicology reports indicate he had high levels of Mitragynine and no other substances were detected.

Kratom has been used for years by millions with little incident, many use it for anxiety and some for pain but it’s primarily gained traction for opioid abuse as a replacement.

Though we haven’t seen anything too alarming from the use of this plant, kratom safety is and will always be a priority. This marks the eighth case where someone died with nothing else in their system.

Kratom Alkaloid Toxicity: Unveiling the Tragic Overdose of Ethan Pope

They don’t know how long their son had been using kratom, but he must have been experiencing adverse effects, Dana Pope said at a news conference Thursday. In his apartment, they found a to-do list with one task that stuck out: Stop taking kratom.

There so many unanswered questions such as why was he using extract and not leaf, or better yet how long had he been using it for and more over did he understand what he was using or was it something he was turned on to randomly. It’s important that people know the difference between leaf and extract and which is best for them

Some of these questions may help to identify ways to prevent this from ever happening again, education is probably one of the most important aspects to using any supplement.

Typically a natural plant substance can be harmless but in concentrated forms with volume it can become dangerous. Kratom extracts aren’t made for the average person and no one should use it daily though yes people do. There’s no telling where this case will lead but there has been some data on kratom related deaths over the years.

The Data On Kratom Use And Abuse

So the U.S. health officials said in a report released in 2019 that kratom was a cause in 91 overdose deaths in 27 states. While most of those who died had also taken heroin, fentanyl or other drugs, kratom was the only substance detected in seven of the deaths.

Another 2019 study found that calls to U.S. poison control centers about kratom skyrocketed more than 50-fold, from 13 calls in 2011 to 682 calls in 2017.

The truth is there many substances legal and otherwise with much higher overdose rates when comparing it to kratom, so is it safe or not, the answer is split.

Using leaf itself in small amounts has proven to be beneficial for many people, extracts on the other hand require more caution and research. I myself use extract once or twice a week for anxiety and it works so I don’t abuse it, was Ethan abusing liquid extract?

The Debate On Safety

The safety of kratom remains a contentious issue, with proponents citing its benefits while skeptics point to alarming statistics. The data on kratom-related deaths, especially when linked to extracts, paints a complex picture. In 2019, U.S. health officials reported that kratom played a role in 91 overdose deaths across 27 states.

In seven of these deaths, kratom was the sole substance detected. Additionally, a study from the same year revealed a staggering increase in calls to U.S. poison control centers related to kratom, rising from 13 calls in 2011 to 682 calls in 2017.

It’s important to place these figures in a broader context. While these statistics raise concerns, there are substances, both legal and illegal, with significantly higher overdose rates compared to kratom.

The debate on kratom’s safety is, therefore, divided. Many individuals, like the author of this article, have found solace in occasional kratom use for managing anxiety. The crux of the matter lies in responsible use and the distinction between the plant’s various forms.

*UPDATE 11/15/22

Recently I spoke with an insider at OPMS, there have also been updates around the evidence discovered in this persons wrongful death. 

First the new info that is coming out, it’s been reported that the person who died was using other dangerous substances along side kratom. The OPMS extracts used were also reported to be OPMS Black Shots.

None of the info has been confirmed yet and I will update it when I know more. Referring back to what we do know, there was no evidence of other substance abuse and nothing else was reported in toxicology so we really need to wait and see if that new info can be confirmed as true.

The insider told me via email that management hasn’t said anything to employees regarding the news surrounding the death or the lawsuit that’s ongoing. As of now due to the nature of the situation I imagine a statement from OPMS will come out soon.

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Related Articles:

• What Is Best Kratom Users Kratom Leaf Or Kratom Extract
• Kratom News: Understanding The Mis-Information Around The Ban
• Kratom And Wrongful Death Lawsuits Explored
• Kratom Hazards Recent Salmonella Outbreak
• Kratom Use Linked To Liver Damage: The Data

Meet The Author

Mike Korlin

I have been studying and applying functional medicine in my personal life for nearly a decade. As a student, a retailer and a human being my knowledge is drawn from my own and thousands of other peoples experiences that I have spoken to or aided in discovering the wonderful world of plant medicines.