‘He would still be here’: Father calls for kratom regulations after son’s death
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — David Bregger became an advocate for kratom regulation after his 33-year-old son Dan died from the toxic effects of a synthetic kratom-derived product.
"My biggest thing is, I want to save lives in his memory. That's what I'm doing," Bregger told 12 News.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency , Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. When consumed, the tree's leaves can produce stimulant or sedative effects depending on the dose.
TARGET 12: Why doctors and advocates disagree on kratom
Government regulators and health professionals often oppose the use of the herbal substance, arguing that kratom can be addictive or potentially dangerous.
In Rhode Island, the General Assembly passed a bill that would legalize Kratom, but Gov. Dan McKee vetoed the legislation .
"I'm not anti-kratom, I'm pro-regulation. What I'm after is getting nothing but leaf product," Bregger explained.
"It's an extract that killed my son. It was 12 doses in a tiny little bottle that, on the website, didn't have dosages instructions." he added.
The New Hampshire native travels the country calling for change. Bregger and other protesters gathered outside the American Kratom Association's (AKA) leadership conference in Warwick on Thursday.
The protesters are calling for the AKA to reverse their support for 7-hydroxymitragynine (7OH), a type of synthetic kratom.
Kratom advocates like Mac Haddow with the AKA believe kratom is a mood booster that can mellow you out. He said it has been used to help treat addiction to opioids.
"Most [kratom users have] it as a replacement for a cup of coffee, because it gives you an increased focus and it gives you increased energy," Haddow said. "Higher doses of kratom serving sizes help people with with anxiety and depression."
Haddow noted that it's important to educate people on the limitations of kratom and believes the product should be regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"We're willing, as a consumer advocacy organization, to go a little further. We think that the product appropriately can be placed behind the counter," Haddow said.
Bregger thinks better regulations could have saved his son's life.
"He just took a product that should've been regulated. If it was regulated the way we want it regulated, he would still be here today," Bregger said.
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