Is kratom the new bath salts?

Kratom fans say it’s like a ‘safe opiate,’ but law enforcement paints a picture of addiction and psychosis
The Daily Beast (US)
Saturday, February 27, 2016

The botanical substance is both a stimulant and a sedative. It is common and illegal in Thailand, where it grows naturally, but little-known and largely legal in the United States. The federal government is cracking down on kratom. Last month, the FDA asked U.S. Marshals to seize nearly 90,000 bottles of dietary supplements containing kratom, which is derived from tropical trees that grow throughout Southeast Asia. In 2014, the Marshals took over 25,000 pounds of raw kratom from a company in Van Nuys, California, at the FDA’s request.