Is It Past Time For Lubbock To Ban Herbal Supplements Like Kratom?

It seems like everywhere in Lubbock, you can find various displays that promote "Better Stamina!" or "Stress Relief!", and you can't help but wonder what this stuff is made of, or if it's even safe. Also, substances like "Kratom" are starting to become all the rage, and many people are starting to look to these substances more often for various reasons.

The question is: "Is this safe?" The answer, may not be what people are looking for.

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A Lubbock family is mourning the loss of their son, and are blaming an herbal supplement for his death.

According to EveythingLubbock.com, a Lubbock mom says that her son passed away after using Kratom before going to bed.

Shannon Mims says that her son, Nathan, had purchased Kratom from an unnamed shop, in an unmarked brown paper bag with no warnings or other info. Mims claims that Nathan consumed the Kratom as a tea, fell asleep, and never woke up. She told KAMC:

“That’s the only thing that was out of the ordinary was that it appears that he had taken it to go to sleep because his alarm was set for work. He was in his normal sleep position and pattern and so it appears he took it to help him relax and go to sleep, and he just didn’t wake up”

Kratom proponents claim that the supplement has benefits for pain relief, and to help with anxiety and energy. However, top researchers have called it ineffective and unsafe.

Honestly, I wouldn't trust anything that is sold in a plain paper bag, with no directions for use or warning labels. At minimum, substances like this should be treated similarly to marijuana, alcohol, etc. If they can't regulate them properly, then they should not be sold in Texas. Period. It's about keeping people safe.