Kratom Fear Mongering
<p>CBS News recently aired a story on kratom, a mild opioid herbal supplement available online or in headshops around the country. The story, “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/kratom-products-continue-to-draw-criticism-from-health-experts/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Kratom products continue to draw criticism from health experts</a>,” was a master class in sensationalism and fear mongering. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that kratom was a scourge on our society. A bigger threat to public health than fentanyl and anti-vaxxers combined. Fortunately, I <em>do</em> know better.</p>
<p>The report begins by announcing that “millions of Americans use an herbal supplement called ‘kratom’,” just before launching into a story of the unfortunate death of a young man named Ethan Pope, who apparently died of a kratom overdose. It then moves on to an interview with Mr. Pope’s parents — a common tactic in journalism that aims to put a face on the story, helping to personalize it.</p>
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