Leaves of the kratom tree have been used as a stimulant and management of pain for hundreds of years. More than two million people in this country still use kratom despite federal warnings about liver toxicity, seizures and even death. A new study from the University of Mississippi is published in the American Journal of Public Health further calls our attention to kratom and its continued availability in tobacco and vape stores. Authors say there are people who think kratom is an effective mood stabilizer and pain killer, but there are also people who have died from overdoses—ignoring warnings from several federal agencies. One of the lead researchers, Matthew Rossheim says his survey of vape shops found kratom was still being sold in states where it is banned.