Shop clerk and son charged with selling illegal kratom after two Ole Miss students die from suspected overdoses
Aidan Hamilton and Robert Strang died after apparently ingesting kratom product last month
TL;DR
- A store clerk and his son have been charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, specifically an illegal kratom product.
- The charges follow the deaths of two University of Mississippi students, Aidan Hamilton and Robert Strang, whose deaths are being investigated for potential drug overdoses.
- Authorities found packages of kratom derivatives, including a banned compound, in the students' rooms and at the store where the defendants worked.
- Kratom is legal at the federal level but banned or regulated in some states and localities, with federal warnings issued about its risks.
- Proponents view pure kratom as a safe herbal supplement, while dangers are associated with synthetic derivatives.
- One of the deceased students reportedly purchased kratom-based pills from the store clerk, who allegedly warned about their potency and potential for death.