Mother issues warning on Kratom after son dies

     A Dallas mother is sounding the alarm about the dangers of kratom, an over-the-counter herbal supplement, after her teenage son’s sudden and unexpected death.

     “No one can ever understand what it’s like to lose a child,” said Alaina Brooks, whose 16-year-old son, Keaton Brooks, died in February. “If I can prevent anyone else from experiencing that, I want to do that.”

     Keaton struggled with anxiety for much of his life. His parents sought medical and psychological treatment, including help from a therapeutic boarding school.

    “He knew he had anxiety, but he learned a lot of ways to deal with it. More than anything, he told me he just wanted to be normal,” Alaina said.

     On February 15, just 12 days before his 17th birthday, Alaina tried to wake her son for school. “At 8:29 I opened the door to his room. I said, ‘Keats,’ and he didn’t answer me,” she recalled. Despite frantic attempts by paramedics and his mother, Keaton could not be revived.

     Initially, the Brooks family believed Keaton had died in his sleep. They later learned another student at Highland Park High School had been distributing clonazepam (Klonopin) taken from a parent’s medicine cabinet. Keaton had ingested the drug along with kratom.

     Months later, the Dallas County Medical Examiner revealed the cause of death: “toxic effects of mitragynine and clonazepam.” Mitragynine is the primary psychoactive compound in kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia and widely available in U.S. gas stations, vape shops, and online retailers.

     Alaina believes Keaton turned to kratom thinking it was a safe, legal option to cope with his anxiety. “It’s not a drug. It doesn’t show up in a drug test. You can buy it at a gas station,” she said of what she believes her son’s mindset was.

Many parents, she added, have never even heard of kratom.

    Experts warn that kratom is far from harmless. Kerri Stitt, President and CEO of Youth180, a Dallas nonprofit focused on youth substance abuse prevention, said cases of kratom overdose and dependency are on the rise.

     “We do believe that minors should not be able to walk into a gas station or smoke shop and buy it,” Stitt said. “It’s just too dangerous.”

     Dr. Patrick Butler, medical director at Youth180, added, “There’s this feeling that because I can buy it over the counter or online, it’s benign. But that’s really not the case.”

     The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced efforts to regulate kratom’s most potent compounds under the Controlled Substances Act. The agency is especially concerned about 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), an opioid derivative that can be more potent than morphine.

     “7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.”

     In June, the FDA issued warning letters to seven companies illegally selling products with concentrated levels of 7-OH, including gummies, drink mixes, and shots that may appeal to minors. At the state level, Texas Rep. Morgan Meyer has introduced legislation aimed at regulating kratom products.

     For Alaina Brooks, the push for regulation is deeply personal. “If it can be helpful, great, then let’s regulate it,” she said. But for now, her grief remains overwhelming. “I almost have to trick my brain into thinking he’s away at school. Because when I do stop and think about the fact that he’s gone, I just can’t breathe,” Alaina said. Her hope is that by sharing Keaton’s story, she can prevent other families from facing the same tragedy.