NW Georgia students sickened after eating kratom gummies, officials say
A group of northwest Georgia middle school students got sick Wednesday after eating what was later determined to be kratom gummies, according to officials.
Kratom is a legal substance derived from a tree native to southeastern Asia that is known for its opioid-like effects, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It has become popular in the U.S. in the past several years and is commonly available at gas stations and smoke shops in the form of tablets, capsules or extracts. A Georgia law change recently increased the age buyers must be to purchase kratom products from 18 to 21.
At Saddle Ridge Middle School in Walker County, five eighth graders ate gummies that contained the substance, school officials said. Their parents took them to local hospitals, where a few had to be admitted, authorities said. Those students were said to be stable.
The school is about 12 miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority,” Superintendent Damon Raines said in a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We are grateful for the quick actions of our staff and emergency personnel.”
It’s not clear how the gummies made it into the school or who obtained them. The sheriff’s office said it is investigating but did not say if charges are anticipated.
At lower doses, kratom produces stimulant effects, such as increased alertness and energy, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Higher doses have the opposite effect and act as a sedative.
Some consumers tout the substance’s pain-relieving qualities, though the FDA has not approved its use as a medical or dietary supplement. Federal agencies say it’s dangerous and addictive as it can cause psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions.
In July, the FDA asked the DEA to classify it as an illicit substance.
The incident is the latest in a string of cases in which students in schools across metro Atlanta and the state fell ill after ingesting gummies and candies laced with substances.
In August, four DeKalb County middle schoolers ingested gummies that landed one of them in the hospital. The district, however, did not disclose what the gummies contained.
In 2019, GBI lab tests found THC, a chemical in marijuana, in treats shared at a Fulton County middle school, where 28 students were taken to hospitals. At the time, Fulton County Schools said it charged a handful of students with code of conduct violations related to the consumption, possession and/or distribution of illegal substances.
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