In 2021, mother-of-four Krystal Talavera was found face down in her kitchen. It was Father’s Day when she collapsed beside her one-year-old son and an open bag of ‘Space Dust,’ a product made from Kratom.

What are Space Dust and Kratom?

Space Dust is a synthetic drug created from Kratom. It is sold at various stores and marketed as a “legal high.” However, it has a legally murky status challenged by the FDA and DEA. Currently, it’s legal, but no one can legally import it.

South Asian countries once used kratom to alleviate withdrawal symptoms when they could no longer afford their opiate addiction. However, people soon learned they could also develop a dependence or tolerance to Kratom. For that reason, trees are outlawed in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and even Myanmar.

Many people use kratom as a tea or supplement in America. Florida has tea houses dedicated to selling it. There are also many gas stations, dispensaries, and online sellers of various products that contain it. About 1.7 million Americans 12 years and older admitted to being Kratom users in 2021.

The Dangers of Kratom

Kratom contains alkaloids that can act on opioid receptors in the brain, leading to the potential for dependency and addiction. Regular use can lead to physical and psychological dependence, with withdrawal symptoms similar to opioids.

High doses can lead to overdose, resulting in symptoms such as respiratory depression, seizures, and even death. The risk of overdose increases when kratom is combined with other substances, especially opioids or sedatives.

Long-term use of kratom has been associated with various health issues, including liver damage, kidney damage, and gastrointestinal problems. The lack of regulation and quality control in these products increases the risk of contamination with harmful substances.

If you or somebody you love is struggling with pain management or other health issues, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional who can provide evidence-based treatment options and monitor potential risks.

Additionally, if someone is already using it and wants to stop, seek assistance to manage withdrawal symptoms and address substance use disorder.

The Kratom Lawsuit

Krystal Talavera’s was awarded $11 million from the wrongful death filed in federal court against Kratom distributor Grow LLC, a federal lawsuit against the manufacturer of the herbal substance.

Her husband proved in the trial that she died of what medical examiners say was an overdose of Space Dust, which Talavera was unaware was possible. The Palm Beach County coroner ruled “acute mitragynine intoxication” as the official cause of her death. Like death from opioids, Mrs. Talavera’s breathing slowed, and she underwent respiratory failure.

Talavera regularly purchased Grow LLC products from The Kratom Distro online for years. Her husband said she believed it was “a safe and natural dietary supplement,” and the Distro marketed it as such.

Instead, however, Talavera became dependent on a substance called mitragynine, which produces “opioid-like effects” when taken in large doses. It can also, like most opioids, cause “respiratory failure.”

However, none of the products Grow LLC sold warned about the dangers.

US District Judge Donald Middlebrooks ruled that Grow LLC should pay Talavera’s family $11,642,895 in damages on July 27, 2023.

Attorney Tamara Williams said, “This $11-million-dollar judgment should be a wakeup call to the Kratom industry about this dangerous and unregulated substance. There are families across the country who know firsthand that Kratom is addictive and can be deadly.”