Dana Pope, with her husband John by her side, holds a photo of her son, Ethan, as she speaks at a news conference at the Georgia Capitol on May 2, 2024, after Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill to regulate kratom. Extracted from the leaves of a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, kratom is used to make capsules, powders and liquids. It’s often sold in gas stations or smoke shops, marketed as an aid for pain, anxiety and drug dependence.
Proponents of kratom say it’s a safe, natural herbal supplement that can help manage pain and ease the effects of opioid withdrawal. An estimated 1.7 million Americans used kratom in 2021, according to a national survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “This is a joyous day, but it’s not a joyous day because we’ve lost loved ones because of it. But at least right now we can try to save some others in the process,” Townsend said at a news conference after the governor signed the bill. He was joined by the Rogerses and two other families who say they lost loved ones who used kratom.in a report released in 2019 that kratom was a cause in 91 overdose deaths in 27 states.
The association hopes to work with Georgia lawmakers during the next legislative session, which starts in January, to quickly address those issues, Haddow said.