State and local officials crack down on kratom

Cities and states are moving to ban sales of the herb kratom, which is often sold in convenience stores or vape shops and is not yet regulated at the federal level, according to NBC News. Six states and numerous cities have banned kratom entirely, and an additional 15 states prohibit the sale of kratom to minors. According to the Washington Post, kratom, often called "gas station heroin," was listed as the leading or partial cause of at least 4,100 deaths between 2020 and 2022, though nearly all deaths were also linked to other drug use, according to the NIH. The drug is usually sold as a liquid, powder, or tablet, and is commonly contaminated with high levels of heavy metals.