Mississippi drug task force issues kratom warning following two student deaths

A Mississippi drug task force is advising people to avoid kratom after packages of the substance were found during investigations into the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. Authorities have not confirmed that kratom contributed to either death or that the deaths were connected; toxicology results are being expedited. The warning has renewed scrutiny of kratom, an herbal extract sold in forms such as capsules, powders and liquids, whose effects and safety remain disputed.
The university identified the students as Aidan Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, and Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta; their families asked for privacy as they grieve.
The students were found Monday afternoon in separate locations—one on campus and the other off campus, according to a university spokesperson.
Authorities said the kratom found at the scenes had been sold at a retail store, but they did not identify the store or say whether criminal charges would be filed.
Kratom proponents say it may help manage pain, anxiety and depression and ease opioid withdrawal, while doctors who treat addiction are cited as raising concerns about its use.
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