STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The same delis where Staten Islanders buy their lottery tickets might also be selling kratom, a legal but potentially addictive supplement that is causing concern on Staten Island and nationwide.
A doctor and a grieving mother raised alarm about the dangers of kratom at a recent meeting of the Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force in the office of District Attorney Michael E. McMahon in St. George.
Produced from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia, kratom acts as a stimulant when ingested in small amounts and as a sedative when consumed in higher doses, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
“In the U.S., the use of kratom has increased markedly in recent years,” according to the DEA…