(This content was created with the help of AI.) Los Angeles County’s effort to curb what officials saw as a spike in kratom-related overdose deaths has left some residents scrambling to hold onto what they consider a critical tool for pain relief and getting off opioids, reports the Los Angeles Times.
The county banned retail sales of kratom and a related synthetic, 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), nearly four months ago after state health officials cited 362 kratom-linked overdose deaths in California between 2019 and 2023.
However, an LAT investigation found several deaths initially blamed on kratom lacked clear evidence that the drug alone was responsible, raising questions about whether the real danger lies in combinations with other substances…