Кратом найден в жилье двух студентов Оле Мисс, умерших в разных расследованиях
Власти Университета Миссисипи сообщили, что упакованный кратом был найден в домах двух студентов, умерших на этой неделе, однако официальные лица не связывают это вещество со смертями.
Law enforcement in Lafayette County confirmed that packaged kratom, sold by a retail outlet, was recovered during investigations into the deaths of two University of Mississippi students discovered earlier this week. The deaths, which occurred on Monday—one on campus and one in the city of Oxford—are being examined as separate cases by local, state and federal agencies, and officials said there is no evidence that kratom or any other substance caused either death.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage everyone to avoid kratom and any other medication or substance that was not prescribed to you or obtained from a trusted, regulated source," the Metro Narcotics unit said in a statement.
The university expressed sorrow, noting that the campus community is grieving and that many fraternities and sororities have displayed black ribbons in mourning. Greek organizations have reminded members to refrain from using unprescribed substances.
Kratom, derived from a Southeast Asian tree, is not federally banned but is listed by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a “drug and chemical of concern.” Health experts describe it as unsafe and ineffective, noting that most reported kratom-related deaths involve additional drugs. While Oxford has prohibited kratom locally, it remains available in neighboring counties.
"We have a lot of problems with the kratom and people on it, it has no medical use," said Capt. Alex Fauver of the Metro Narcotics unit, who also confirmed the product was found at each student's residence.
Authorities warned against speculation and highlighted the spread of unverified information online, urging the public to await official findings.