Kratom products can cause life-threatening overdoses

While Travis County has seen a decline in the numbers of fentanyl poisoning deaths, it's also seen an increase in unknown opioids, I should say, posing a risk to the community. Austin Public Health says a potent opioid-like compound associated with kratom is an emerging concern. Now, kratom is derived from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. It's sometimes marketed as a natural remedy for pain, anxiety, and opioid withdrawal. While Kratom is legal to purchase, concerns are rising over a potent chemical compound found in or derived from what is known as 7-OH. Concentrated 7-OH products can cause dependence, serious health complications, and potentially life-threatening overdoses. Because Kratom is a semi-synthetic opioid, it can cause an opioid-like overdose that, if it's used in combination with other drugs, can require more Narcan, the drug that's used to reverse overdoses, to be needed in order to save lives and reverse that overdose. Austin Public Health says the FDA is looking at the differences between the two compounds to limit the amount that can be sold. Fox 7's Jenny King will have more on this story coming up at 9.