{"id":72691,"date":"2026-02-12T16:48:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T21:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=72691"},"modified":"2026-02-13T14:26:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T19:26:59","slug":"supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporters tout benefits of kratom, but will it stall Michigan drug fight?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kratom products may help relieve anxiety or depression for some people or provide an alternative to street drugs, such as heroin or fentanyl<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Others argue kratom products pose a danger, especially to children and people in recovery<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The products continue to be available at gas stations, vape shops and liquor stories as efforts to limit sales have flagged<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>In its battle against opioids, some worry that brightly packaged, relatively new products sold in liquor stores, smoke shops and gas stations could send Michigan into relapse.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doctors say a growing number of patients are losing years of recovery because of kratom, a drug some say is safe and medicinal but others contend is addictive, harmful and <a href=\"https:\/\/project.tampabay.com\/investigations\/deadly-dose\/kratom-overdose-deaths-florida-mitragynine-testing\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/project.tampabay.com\/investigations\/deadly-dose\/kratom-overdose-deaths-florida-mitragynine-testing\/\">even deadly.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;ve had multiple patients come to me (who) used heroin 10 years ago. They\u2019ll say, \u2018Doc, like I started using this, and five days later I felt like I was just right back on heroin,\u2019\u201d said Dr. Eliza Hutchinson, who leads medication treatment options for addiction at Packard Health, a community clinic that partners with University of Michigan\u2019s Medical School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s difficult to know how many Michiganders use kratom \u2014 it\u2019s not usually part of regular drug screens. And when it is linked to overdose deaths, there are often <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-debates-future-kratom-herbal-remedy-linked-9-state-deaths\/\">other drugs involved<\/a>.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hutchinson and other treatment providers say they\u2019re also seeing new addictions to kratom, made from the leaf of a tropical tree, and particularly a kratom derivative known as 7-OH.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both kratom, which often is sold in powder or leaf form, and 7-OH, which often is sold as tablets or energy shots, work on the brain\u2019s opioid receptors. Both also&nbsp;remain legal and available to youth at local gas stations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But even the sponsor of legislation to \u201cget a little control\u201d over the industry acknowledges the safety \u2014 at least of kratom, if not 7-OH \u2014 which has been used by people in southeast Asia for its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/diet\/health-benefits-kratom\">medicinal benefits<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-lawmakers-mull-regulating-kratom-and-gas-station-heroin-byproduct\/\"><strong>Michigan lawmakers mull regulating kratom and \u2018gas station heroin\u2019 byproduct<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-debates-future-kratom-herbal-remedy-linked-9-state-deaths\/\"><strong>Michigan debates future of kratom, an herbal remedy linked to 9 state deaths<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-may-regulate-sale-kratom-herbal-mix-linked-overdoses\/\"><strong>Michigan may regulate sale of kratom, an herbal mix linked to overdoses<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bridgemi.com\/guest-commentary\/opinion-kratom-has-given-me-better-life-michigan-needs-regulation?_gl=1*119te5k*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3NTY5MTI0MjAuRUFJYUlRb2JDaE1JN3JubjRmQzhqd01WLTZKYUJSM25qaklyRUFBWUFTQUFFZ0s0emZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*MTAzMTM2ODAyNS4xNzYwNDY4NzA5*_ga*MTA1NjYzNDc1NS4xNzU5NDk0MDQ1*_ga_SDMLQHFB10*czE3NjA5ODgxNDAkbzEzMCRnMSR0MTc2MDk4ODIyMyRqNTEkbDAkaDA.*_ga_1E2G9MSHX5*czE3NjA5ODgxNDckbzMyJGcxJHQxNzYwOTg4MjA3JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..*_ga_KX5CRZVP9F*czE3NjA5ODgxNDckbzEzMSRnMSR0MTc2MDk4ODIwNyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.\"><strong>Opinion | Kratom has given me a better life. Michigan needs regulation<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><br>\u201cA lot of people in the recovering community use it to help wean themselves off of stronger drugs such as heroin and morphine,\u201d state Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, told fellow lawmakers last year as they considered the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/documents\/2025-2026\/billanalysis\/House\/pdf\/2025-HLA-4969-M1YL4FK7.pdf\">Kratom Consumer Protection Act<\/a> that he sponsored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd our veterans use it primarily for PTSD,\u201d Cavitt said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That makes regulating kratom, while keeping it available to those who say it helps them, complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Kalamazoo, Melody Woolf is able to walk and to<strong> <\/strong>be a mom, she said, because of 12 years of daily kratom use<strong>, <\/strong>which she began after fibromyalgia and other severe pain kept her mostly bedridden \u2014 often in tears \u2014 for years as her children grew up without her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Powerful opioid painkillers, including fentanyl patches that her doctor prescribed, didn\u2019t curb the pain, she said: \u201cIt just made me not care as much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After years racked by pain and an opioid haze, Woolf heard about kratom from a Facebook group of chronic pain sufferers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy doctor said \u2018Give it a whirl,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Woolf mixes powdered kratom into hot water several times a day now. It reduces her constant pain by half or more, she said \u2014 enough that she can run routine errands, take her granddaughter to the zoo, and lobby for regulations that allow kratom to stay on the market, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-attachment-id=\"72694\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/attachment\/020262026_jessica_kawiecki_re\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1928&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1928\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.68&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Pixel 9 Pro XL&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1770904102&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.9&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;172&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.018182&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Ohio issued a temporary ban on kratom products in December, boosting sales for the Liquor Cabinet in Lambertville, Michigan, two miles north of the Ohio border, store manager Jessica Kawiecki said. (Robin Erb\/Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C771&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE.jpg?resize=1024%2C771&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A woman poses behind the counter in a store \" class=\"wp-image-72694\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C771&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C578&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1157&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1542&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C301&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C904&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1506&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C587&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/020262026_Jessica_Kawiecki_RE-1024x771.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ohio issued a temporary ban on kratom products in December, boosting sales for the Liquor Cabinet in Lambertville, Michigan, 2 miles north of the Ohio border, store manager Jessica Kawiecki said. (Robin Erb\/Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" data-attachment-id=\"72697\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/attachment\/ipiccy_image-11\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?fit=2000%2C1000&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2000,1000\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ipiccy_image (11)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;7-OH products on display. (Robin Erb\/Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?fit=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?resize=1024%2C512&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"shots of kratom products on display in a store\" class=\"wp-image-72697\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?resize=1024%2C512&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?resize=768%2C384&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?resize=1536%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?resize=1200%2C600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?resize=780%2C390&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?resize=400%2C200&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ipiccy_image-11-1024x512.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">7-OH products often feature colorful packaging.&nbsp; (Robin Erb\/Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The American Kratom Association has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americankratom.org\/aka-in-your-state\">pushed Michigan and other states<\/a> to regulate kratom. It\u2019s asked for age restrictions, packaging requirements and third-party testing to ensure the quality of kratom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But notably, it also argues that 7-OH should be banned because of the potency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>John Cleveland, representing the Lexington, Kentucky-based <a href=\"https:\/\/hartsupporter.com\/\">Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust, <\/a>last year <a href=\"https:\/\/www.house.mi.gov\/VideoArchivePlayer?video=HREGU-103025.mp4\">told<\/a> Michigan lawmakers that 7-OH is safe.  He <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-lawmakers-mull-regulating-kratom-and-gas-station-heroin-byproduct\/\">told lawmakers<\/a> in October that the kratom association is using 7-OH as a \u201csacrificial lamb\u201d to ensure conventional kratom remains legal<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cleveland\u2019s organization supports regulation around packaging and age restrictions for 7-OH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong> \u2018Suit-and-tie\u2019 customers&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the Liquor Cabinet in Lambertville, 2 miles north of the Ohio line, store manager Jessica Kawiecki said she\u2019s reassured of the products\u2019 safety because of the \u201csuit-and-tie\u201d customers who buy kratom powder and capsules and the brightly-packaged 7-OH products.<br><br>If there are health hazards, she said, kratom is \u201clike booze or cigarettes. You research it and, as an adult, you make your own decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sales surged, she said, after Ohio <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pharmacy.ohio.gov\/documents\/pubs\/special\/kratom\/consumer%20and%20retailer%20notice%20-%20kratom-related%20products%20now%20illegal%20in%20ohio.pdf\">placed a temporary ban on all kratom products<\/a> in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Others have turned to kratom as a <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC11169875\/#:~:text=Though%20there%20are%20concerns%20regarding,been%20used%20in%20Southeast%20Asia\">substitute for street drugs<\/a> such as fentanyl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The controversy over kratom is a \u201cdistraction\u201d from the real problem, which are street drugs including illicit fentanyl \u2014 often made more deadly because of additives that are cut into for illicit sales, said Steve Alsum, of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redproject.org\/\">Grand Rapids Red Project<\/a>, a long-time <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/fighting-michigans-opioid-crisis-new-needles-purer-drugs-respect-addicts\/\">harm reduction<\/a> program that provides drug users with clean needles and test kits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2023 and 2024, fentanyl, alone, was linked to about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/pressroom\/releases\/20250514.html#:~:text=Table_title:%20Release%20Table_content:%20header:%20%7C%20DRUG%20TYPE*,8%2C006%20%7C%20(ESTIMATED%20DEATHS%202023):%2010%2C511%20%7C\">125,000 US deaths<\/a>, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI get really frustrated when I hear public health folks getting worried and concerned about kratom, because it&#8217;s really a distraction from the main issue out there, directing time and energy and resources towards it that should be directed to what\u2019s really going on,\u201d Alsum said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Relapse<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>But addiction experts worry that kratom products could set Michigan back in its battle against drugs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-getting-millions-more-aid-opioid-battle\/\">Millions of dollars<\/a> in opioid settlement funds to help people in recovery have strengthened programs, and overdose deaths have fallen \u2014&nbsp; from 3,096 Michiganders in 2021, the peak of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/opioids\/category-data\">state\u2019s overdose deaths<\/a>, to 1,938 in 2024, according to most recent data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA drug like 7-OH \u2014 that has the potential to really derail us,\u201d said Sean Esteban McCabe, director of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umdashcenter.org\/\">Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health<\/a> at the University of Michigan\u2019s School of Nursing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kratom use is at an all-time high \u2014 more than 5 million people in the US have used kratom in their lifetime, according to preliminary research by McCabe.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" data-attachment-id=\"72692\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/attachment\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2000,1333\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Regulating kratom products is complicated, said Sean Esteban McCabe, director of the Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health at the University of Michigan. (Courtesy of Sean Esteban McCabe)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?resize=1024%2C682&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Side view of a man gesturing while speaking \" class=\"wp-image-72692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy.jpeg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/sean_esteban_mccabe_courtesy-1024x682.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Regulating kratom products is complicated, said Sean Esteban McCabe, director of the Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health at the University of Michigan. (Courtesy of Sean Esteban McCabe)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Using data from national drug surveys, McCabe also found that more than half of kratom users meet the criteria for substance use disorder in the past year \u2014 mostly abusing alcohol and cannabis, for example. They also have higher-than-average rates of suicidal ideation, anxiety, and psychological distress \u2014 an indicator that many may need treatment, he told Bridge recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the two days prior, he told Bridge, three different people told him their recovery had been \u201cderailed by 7-OH and kratom.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kratom\u2019s minor side effects include nausea, itching, sweating, dry mouth, constipation, increased urination, irregular heart rhythms, vomiting, drowsiness, loss of appetite and sedative effects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in worse cases, users have reported anorexia, insomnia, seizures and hallucinations, according to the DEA.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/68\/wr\/mm6814a2.htm\">2019 review of overdose deaths<\/a> published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention implicated kratom in 152 of the 27,338 deaths, although the same study noted that other drugs could not be ruled out as the cause of death. And kratom has shown up in toxicology screens in <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-debates-future-kratom-herbal-remedy-linked-9-state-deaths\/\">Michigan deaths<\/a>, too \u2014 again, often with a mix of other drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the Michigan Poison &amp; Drug Information Center received 347 calls about kratom exposures over five years, including 87 cases in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While 7-OH didn&#8217;t appear until April 2025, it accounted for more than 1 in 4 by the end of the year, according to Dr. Varun Vohra, the center\u2019s director, a clinical toxicologist and associate professor of emergency medicine at Wayne State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, nearly 30% of the 7-OH calls required admission to an intensive care unit compared to about 20% of people using kratom. The numbers are small, but they \u201csuggest rapid market penetration\u201d of a product for which withdrawal is more severe and requires more health care resources, Vohra told Bridge in an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Specific to 7-OH, the US Food and Drug Administration last year <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/news-events\/press-announcements\/fda-takes-steps-restrict-7-oh-opioid-products-threatening-american-consumers\">took the first steps<\/a> to classify it as a controlled substance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-attachment-id=\"72695\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/attachment\/02062026_kratom_re-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1928&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1928\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.68&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Pixel 9 Pro XL&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1770296404&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.9&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;124&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008332&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"02062026_kratom_RE (1)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Kratom and its products are sold in many forms, including capsules, powders, tablets and liquid. (Robin Erb\/Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C771&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C771&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"products on display on a store shelf\" class=\"wp-image-72695\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C771&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C578&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1157&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1542&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C301&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C904&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1506&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C587&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02062026_kratom_RE-1-1024x771.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kratom and its products are sold in many forms, including capsules, powders, tablets and liquid. (Robin Erb\/Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state\u2019s chief medical executive, said she worries consumers are wooed by marketing that promises a \u201cnatural\u201d supplement or by brightly colored packaging. And they may be falsely reassured because the products are legally in gas stations and stores, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI particularly worry about teenagers and young adults who might not know what exactly they&#8217;re purchasing,\u201d she told Bridge Michigan. \u201cYou&#8217;re seeing products that are marked as \u2018natural\u2019 or \u2018herbal.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe labels can be very misleading. There\u2019s no standard dosing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, without more research, it\u2019s unclear the extent to which kratom may interact with medications, including common prescriptions, Bagdasarian said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Local matters<\/strong><br><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No longer willing to wait on state or federal legislation, some Michigan communities are taking up the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last month, Clinton Township became what may be the first local Michigan government to regulate the product, <a href=\"https:\/\/files.amlegal.com\/pdffiles\/ClintonChtrTwp\/503.pdf\">banning kratom sales<\/a> to people under 21. Anyone who sells to a minor faces a $500 fine.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" data-attachment-id=\"72698\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/attachment\/shannon_king_courtesy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?fit=1707%2C2560&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1707,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark IV&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1715381232&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;70&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"shannon_king_courtesy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Clinton Township Trustee Shannon King began by trying to ban all kratom products, but found the issue more nuanced. (Courtesy of Shannon King)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?fit=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?fit=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy.jpg?resize=200%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Headshot of a man smiling\" class=\"wp-image-72698\" style=\"width:262px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=1365%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1365w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C3000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1170&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C600&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-scaled.jpg?w=1707&amp;ssl=1 1707w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/shannon_king_courtesy-200x300.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clinton Township Trustee Shannon King began by trying to ban all kratom products, but found the issue more nuanced. (Courtesy of Shannon King)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s mind-blowing to me that you can walk into a store and buy it legally,\u201d&nbsp; District Court Judge Carrie Lynn Fuca, who began Clinton County\u2019s drug court in 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-rNfLPRURUA\">told<\/a> Clinton Township trustees in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GYGqdUyG3UY&amp;list=PL7k4n2eqYna8m0ZwXuu2mIrf_Nfl_bNVj&amp;index=1\">Mount Clemens<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michiganpublic.org\/health\/2025-07-17\/city-of-warren-may-set-limits-on-sale-possession-of-gas-station-heroin\">Warren<\/a> also are considering regulations, according to Clinton Township Trustee Shannon King, who spearheaded the effort and CARE of Southeastern Michigan, a long-time substance abuse provider that worked with King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regulating kratom products, King found, was a lot more complicated than he originally thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt may be providing you what you need and working out well. But for others \u2014 especially if you\u2019re still growing and your brain is still developing or you can\u2019t self-regulate \u2014 it can be very dangerous,\u201d he told Bridge.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Several addiction medicine experts told Bridge they also struggle with how to regulate kratom products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, said McCabe at the University of Michigan, \u201cdoing nothing is not an option.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A kratom derivative known as 7-OH targets the same receptors as painkillers and opioids. Experts say the products, sold in colorful packages, especially endanger children and people battling addiction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1142,"featured_media":72693,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2026-02-12T21:48:12Z","apple_news_api_id":"99411a28-06b2-45f0-abc6-02ff77d52c22","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2026-02-13T19:27:05Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEg==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AmUEaKAayRfCrxgL_d9UsIg","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[2446],"tags":[1770,4328],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[2469],"class_list":["post-72691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michigan-health-watch","tag-opioids-michigan","tag-top-of-homepage","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Supporters tout benefits of kratom, but will it stall Michigan drug fight? - Bridge Michigan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Supporters tout benefits of kratom, but will it stall Michigan drug fight? - Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A kratom derivative known as 7-OH targets the same receptors as painkillers and opioids. Experts say the products, sold in colorful packages, especially endanger children and people battling addiction.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BridgeMichigan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-12T21:48:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-13T19:26:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/melody_jonathan_woolf_courtesy-scaled-e1770932638456.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Robin Erb\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@bridgemichigan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@bridgemichigan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Robin Erb\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Robin Erb\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#\/schema\/person\/921ed91016798b05f0cdcda6397644f1\"},\"headline\":\"Supporters tout benefits of kratom, but will it stall Michigan drug fight?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-12T21:48:01+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-13T19:26:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/\"},\"wordCount\":1797,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/melody_jonathan_woolf_courtesy-scaled-e1770932638456.jpg?fit=2000%2C1500&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Opioids in Michigan\",\"Top of Homepage\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Michigan Health Watch\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/supporters-tout-benefits-of-kratom-but-will-it-stall-michigan-drug-fight\/\",\"name\":\"Supporters tout benefits of kratom, but will it stall Michigan drug fight? 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