Kratom Industry Disputes Link to Ole Miss Student Deaths, Cites Synthetic Opioids

Representatives of the kratom industry are urging officials not to mischaracterize the substances involved in the deaths of two Ole Miss students, stating that the products found were synthetic opioids and not natural kratom. Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, were found dead on September 21. Initial reports indicated that packaging associated with kratom-related products was discovered at both scenes.

However, Mac Haddow, senior fellow on public policy at the American Kratom Association, stated that the packaging found near the students bore the name Modus, and the tablets were described as Smax Pseudo-DHM, with pseudoindoxyl and MGM-15(DHM) listed as ingredients. Haddow emphasized that these were not natural kratom leaf products and expressed concern over their initial characterization.

"We were deeply concerned with that characterization, because it is highly unlikely, if not statistically improbable, that a natural kratom leaf product would be the cause of two deaths independently, let alone one," Haddow said. He further clarified that the recovered products were "chemically manipulated opioids, not kratom," and were controlled substances under the Federal Controlled Substances Act.

Natural vs. Synthetic Substances

Haddow explained that natural kratom leaves have been used for centuries in Southeast Asia with no published reports of deaths linked to traditional use. He contrasted this with synthetically altered products, which he contends are the result of "amateur chemists" tampering with the plant's alkaloids.

"What these bad actors have done is completely alter the composition of the natural kratom plant," Haddow stated. "They rearranged the molecules. They've chemically synthesized them with high-concentration chlorine and baking soda and other nefarious production methods, so that they deliver what is in fact a signature opioid to consumers in the United States."

He argued that concentrated and chemically modified products, including those containing high levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), should not be considered kratom. Haddow asserted that such substances are synthetic opioids and should be enforced by federal and local law enforcement agencies.

The American Kratom Association supports regulations that include testing, labeling, and age restrictions, such as those outlined in the Mississippi Kratom Consumer Protection Act, rather than outright bans. "Make sure the product formulations are safe, make sure the products are labeled correctly and make sure they're age-restricted," Haddow urged. "21 and up should be the only people who have access to these products."

Toxicology results from the medical examiner are still pending in the investigation into the students' deaths. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains that kratom has not been approved for any medical use and has warned of potential risks, including dependence, contamination, and adverse events, while research into the plant and its compounds continues.