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WEBVTT JIM: SOME FORMER DRUG ADDICTS CALL IT A MIRACLE. BUT THE DEA SAYS IT’S DANGEROUS. MEREDITH: IT’S CALLED KRATOM. 13 PEOPLE WERE POISONED BY KRATOM IN 2011, ACCORDING TO A REPORT RELEASED LAST WEEK. THAT NUMBER IS UP 5200% NOW. IT’S EASY TO GET, AND RESEARCHERS WANT TO KNOW MORE. >> I LOOK AT MY KIDS, AND THINK TEN YEARS BEFORE THAT, I WAS SLEEPING ON THE GRASS ON THE SIDE OF A WALMART. IN A HEARTBEAT, THINGS CAN BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. MEREDITH: CATHERINE ENZOR HAS BEEN CLEAN FOR 8 YEARS. SHE WAS ADDICTED TO PAIN KILLERS. AN EMERGENCY C-SECTION LEFT HER IN A SCARY PLACE UNTIL SHE FOUND KRATOM. >> AS SOON AS I DRANK IT, I REALIZED THIS IS TAKING CARE OF MY POST SURGICAL PAIN, I DON’T FEEL LIKE MY INSIDES ARE GOING TO FALL OUT OF MY INCISION. MEREDITH: KRATOM IS A LEAF NATIVE TO SOUTH EAST ASIA. IT’S BEEN USED FOR CENTURIES THERE TO INCREASE ENERGY, BOOST YOUR MOOD AND WEAN PEOPLE OFF OF OPIUM. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PROFESSOR CHRIS MCCURDY HAS SPENT 15 YEARS STUDYING KRATOM. >> IT IS VERY COMPARABLE TO WH WE WOULD LIKE AT AS COFFEE OR TEA. IT IS SOMETHING TO BOOST THEIR ENERGY, GET THEM MORE ACTIVE MEREDITH: BUT IT’S BEEN THE SOURCE OF YEARS OF CONTROVERSY. KRIS KONICKI OWNS LIFESTYLE SMOKE SHOP IN LONGWOOD. >> THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME OVERSIGHT SO THERE CAN BE SOME TRUST IN WHAT IT IS THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY BUYING AND PAYING FOR AND IN-TAKING. MEREDITH: THE DEA ALMOST BANNED KRATOM ALTOGETHER, CLASSIFYING IT AS A SCHEDULE 1 DRUG, WHICH MEANS IT CONTAINS CHEMICALS THAT HAVE A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE. THE FDA LINKS KRATOM TO 44 DEATHS IT IS BANNED IN A FEW STATES AND IN SARASOTA COUNTY. PROFESSOR MCCURDY SAYS IT’S SIMPLY A MATTER OF NEEDING MORE RESEARCH. HIS TEAM JUST RECEIVED A $3.5 MILLION GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE. >> KRATOM WAS REALLY VICTIM OF BEING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. IT WAS ON GAS STATION SHELVES AND SMOKE SHOP SELLS -- SHELVES AND NOT BEING PAID ATTENTION TO. BUT SPICE AND BATH SALTS WERE RIGHT THERE. ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS OF OUR WORK IS TO SEE IF THIS TRULY HAS THE SCIENTIFIC VOLATILITY OF TREATING OPIOID WITHDRAWAL AND MOVING PEOPLE ADDICTED TO OPIOID OFF OF OPIATES. MY GUT FEELING IS THIS HAS GREAT POTENTIAL AND CAN REALLY BE SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP WITH THIS TERRIBLE CRISES THAT WE ARE FACING. MEREDITH: BUT THE MAJOR CONCERN CENTERS AROUND WHETHER KRATOM ITSELF IS ADDICTIVE. >> WE KNOW THERE ARE COMPOUNDS IN THE PLANT THAT CAN ACTIVATE OPIOID RECEPTORS MAYBE JUST A LITTLE BIT, LIKE YOU JUST TOUCH THE GAS PEDAL NOT THE SLAM DOWN THAT YOU GET WITH FENTANYL. MEREDITH: CATHERINE IS RAISING THREE DAUGHTERS AND PRAISES KRATOM’S ABILITIES TO KEEP HER CLEAN FOR HER FAMILY. SHE’S PASSIONATE ENOUGH TO TAKE HER CASE TO WASHINGTON. >> I’VE GONE UP TO DC WITH MY KIDS TWICE NOW FOR KRATOM SO WE ARE MORE THAN READY TO GO WHERE WE NEED TO TO TALK TO WHOEVER WE NEED TO TALK TO TO KEEP IT ON THE LEGAL SIDE. MEREDITH: THE AMERICA KRATOM ASSOCIATION SUGGESTS FINDING A VENDOR THAT COMPLIES WITH THEIR SAFETY STANDARDS TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NOTHING ADDED TO THE PRODUCT. THE DEA DID SEND US A STATEMENT. THEY SAID KRATOM CONTINUES TO BE A DRUG OF CONCERN DEA WOULD ADVISE AGAINST USING THIS SUBSTANCE FOR ITS PSYCHOACTIVE PROPERTIES. HOWEVER, DEA THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO SEEK AD

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