Marion City Council heard from health professionals and others Monday night as it began probing kratom sales at local convenience stores.
The herbal substance, sometimes referred to as “gas station heroin,” has been available in Marion and across Kentucky without significant oversight. It is legally sold in pill or powder form near energy drinks and supplements.
Healthcare specialists Laura Harris Wood and Kaitlin Loveless from Livingston Hospital addressed the council, sharing both risks and potential benefits associated with kratom use.
“It’s not regulated. A 10-, 11- or 12-year-old could walk in and get it,” said Wood, a Marion resident and nurse practitioner. “That’s not good, especially because of the addiction risks.”
Loveless added that kratom acts as a stimulant in small doses but can mimic opiates in larger amounts. She noted some people use it in recovery, but its unregulated status poses safety concerns.
City leaders are working to see what latitude they have with regard to safeguards.
For the rest of this article, see the June 19, 2025 edition of ©The Crittenden Press
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