2026-08-18
18 分钟Over the past few years, an herbal product has been exploding in popularity.
It's called kratom.
It's made from the leaf of a tree that grows in Southeast Asia,
but you can buy it in most states across the U.S.
Kratom can be bought almost everywhere, in gas stations, online, and convenience stores.
Our colleague Sumathi Reddy writes about health and medicine.
People say it can act like caffeine in small doses.
It's like, you know, it just gives you more energy, maybe makes you more alert.
It can be more sedative and have a different effect.
So there are some people who say that Kratom is a great product for like pain relief.
In June, Kratom was the subject of a city council meeting in Idaho.
When this back injury's plan flares up, I can barely move.
It is totally incapacitating for that time.
But with Kratom, I can at least function.
That's Chris Diotis, who runs a Kratom business.
He was in the city of Idaho Falls to share why Kratom has been helpful for him.
And he was wearing a T-shirt that read Kratom Saves Lives.
And he spoke about how plain leaf kratom, you know,
has kind of made his life bearable, particularly with a reoccurring back injury.
People who used to take opioids also say it's like a good sort of alternative.