Store clerk and son charged over illegal kratom after student deaths

Federal authorities charged a shop clerk and his son on Friday with selling an illegal kratom product. As reported by the Guardian, the legal action followed the recent deaths of two University of Mississippi students named Aidan Hamilton and Robert Strang. Both students died last month after they apparently ingested a kratom product, according to federal prosecutors. [1]

The Guardian reported that federal officials launched an investigation into the student deaths before filing charges against the store clerk and his son. Prior to the charges, a drug taskforce operating in Mississippi had issued a warning urging people to avoid kratom. Authorities issued the advisory after finding packages that contained kratom derivatives. [1]

According to the Guardian, kratom is an herbal substance that affects the human body differently depending on the dosage. It acts as a stimulant when taken in low doses, while higher doses turn it into a sedative. The drug taskforce highlighted these risks when warning the public about products containing the substance. [1]

Wikipedia describes the University of Mississippi, where the two students attended, as being commonly known as Ole Miss. The university campus is located in University, Mississippi, and it hosts the Ole Miss Rebels football program that competes in the Southeastern Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. [1][2]