Mom shares warning signs following son’s death after ‘convenience store drug’ found at two college students’ deaths
A mother who lost her 22-year-old son has spoken out in warning about the impact of kratom following news of two college students dying.
Earlier this month, two students were found dead at separate scenes at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
Oxford Police Department reported that packaged kratom from an unnamed retailer was found at both scenes. It was not confirmed whether it was a contributing factor in the two students' deaths.
However, Lafayette County Metro Narcotics issued a warning to the community to exercise 'an abundance of caution' and avoid using kratom.
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Kratom is a herbal extract made from a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia.
"People who use kratom report that at low doses, kratom acts as an upper, called a stimulant. That means it makes them more alert and gives them more energy. At higher doses, people who use it report that it reduces pain and makes them feel calm and less anxious, also called a sedative," the Mayo Clinic explains.
The mom of 22-year-old Matthew Eller, who died in a separate incident, has also since spoken out in warning over the drug five years on from his passing.
Susan Eppard has revealed her 'perfectly healthy' son 'died solely from the Toxic Effects of Mitragynine/ Kratom as was shown by his toxicology results', and the changes she noticed in him prior to him passing away in 2021.
In an exclusive interview, Eppard told The US Sun she believes Matthew started taking kratom two years before he died, with the mom finding empty packets and suspecting he was swapping it for coffee, believing it was a safe 'alternative'.
Eppard explained Matthew ended up losing his car and was unable to pay his phone bill, using all his money to buy kratom.
And the mom started noticing the impact the herbal extract was having on her son's health too, Matthew growing 'quite emaciated' alongside being 'very reclusive'.
"He started staying away from all his friends and family," she recalled. "He loved his grandmother so much and he wouldn’t answer her phone calls."
When Eppard confronted her son as to whether he was taking drugs, she said he denied it and even offered to get tested.
Eppard explained he didn't appear like he was on drugs either, the major impact on his behavior being how deeply he slept.
The mom said: "He would sleep like he was in a coma. I had to buy a sonic alarm clock to wake him up for work."
One day, Matthew was playing cards with his girlfriend when he 'went into a violent seizure and collapsed on the floor'. He went into cardiac arrest and passed away.
The health risks of kratom
Eppard says her son had never experienced a seizure before and his toxicology and autopsy results attributed his death to the toxic effects of mitragynine, an alkaloid derived from the kratom plant.
In a document filed with the Connecticut General Assembly, the mom wrote: "FDA conducted laboratory testing of 30 different kratom products from a variety of sources to determine if they contain heavy metals. The analysis found significant levels of lead and nickel at concentrations that exceed safe exposure for oral daily drug intake.
"Based on these test results, the typical long-term kratom user could potentially develop heavy metal poisoning, which could include nervous system or kidney damage, anemia, high blood pressure, and/or increased risk of certain cancers."
Indeed, the Mayo Clinic adds that kratom can cause withdrawal symptoms parallel to opioid use, liver damage, salmonella poisoning, and death.
Eppard is now campaigning for the herbal extract to be banned across the US, noting that while 'Narcan can be quite effective in reviving people from other drug overdoses; it doesn’t work to bring a person back to life from Kratom Toxicity because it’s a poisoning from the Kratom Plant'.
The document resolves: "Patients are failing to get much needed medical attention and treatment due to Kratom being deceptively marketed as a safe herbal supplement for pain, energy, insomnia, diabetes, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and alternative to other drugs.
"Kratom has caused the deaths of far too many people due to the lack of proper medical treatment and/or therapy; either by suicide, Kratom mixed with other substances, or accidental poisonings from Kratom alone."
The mom has urged students to stay away from the 'highly addictive' substance, remembering her son, Matthew, as 'always, you know, like the center of attention'.
"Everybody joined around him when he’d walk in a room, just lighting up every room," she added.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website.
Topics: US News, Health, Drugs, Mental Health
Poppy Bilderbeck