Kratom’s Deadly Rise Sparks Ban Push | Spokane News

Kratom, a Southeast Asian tree leaf containing the ultra-potent opioid 7-OH—13x stronger than morphine—is sparking alarm in Kootenai County after four deaths linked to it in 2025, with one case showing kratom as the sole substance found. Coroner Duke Johnson is pushing for a total ban, citing its skyrocketing use (up 1,200% in a decade), addiction risks, and dangerous half-life of 40-60 hours, warning that regulation won’t cut it—and some addiction experts now say kratom’s threat may even surpass fentanyl’s. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a4bb9a794ffef954