There is an herbal supplement for sale at gas stations that can mimic opioids.
Kratom is gaining popularity, and now the FDA is looking to ban synthetic derivatives of it.
While there are Kratom advocates, Local 4 heard from people who developed an addiction.
Sarah McNeill is a business owner, dog mom and recovering addict.
For years, the Brighton woman was hooked on Kratom.
“It is severe, it is close to an addiction to opioids,” said McNeill. “That’s crazy that I had no understanding of that, and then I could just go access it from the local smoke shop.”
Kratom is marketed as a pain reliever, sleep aid or as an alternative to pharmaceutical opioids.
“Within those two years of taking prescription pills and trying to get off of that, I started taking Kratom,” said McNeill.
McNeill said she quickly spiraled into addiction. At its worst, she was taking half a dozen Kratom capsules several times a day.
“It absolutely numbed what I wanted it to numb,” she said. “I really was kind of a shell of myself after a prolonged use of it, I really was.”
When she was asked what it was like once she started to get off it, McNeill said, “The emotional and the mental part, I think, personally, was the hardest part. Just ups and downs, highs and lows, and just trying to navigate, just feeling normal without using something all day, every day.”
As more people came forward about their experiences with Kratom, Local 4 spoke with addiction specialist Dr. Andrew King with the Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center at Wayne State University.
“Because Kratom has become more popular in mainstream culture, we’ve seen more calls to the poison center, both for toxicity and withdrawal,” said King.
King said clinically, dependence and withdrawal from heroin, prescription pills and Kratom are somewhat indistinguishable. But what is clear is that the numbers and calls for Kratom are up.
“So, in 2019, for example, we just had a handful of calls, and since then, we’ve had about 50 or 60 calls per year since 2020,” said King.
Public health experts said there’s little research about the long-term effects of Kratom—a substance that’s unregulated and easy to buy.
“With Kratom, like any other substance that has some of these types of drugs in there, especially opioid-like effects, you can develop addiction to them,” said King, “And so that’s something that we cannot not pay attention to when we know that it’s out there.”
If you’re hitting a brick wall repeatedly, you have to make a change.
For years, McNeill kept her addiction a secret. But recovery is a metamorphosis. A few weeks ago, she posted an important milestone—three years sober from Kratom.
“I want people to know,” she said. “That’s why I’m putting myself out there; it’s kind of nerve-racking. I don’t like it, it’s scary.”
When McNeill was asked how she could sit in the discomfort, she said, “I don’t know, just because I feel a responsibility, honestly, to kind of help people. If I could get through it, anybody could.”
Sarah credits her support system, which includes a therapist, a naturopath, her husband, her pup, family and friends.
When she started opening up about her journey, she said other people started talking about their own experiences.
If you’re struggling, help is available. Visit here for more information.