Kratom advocates petition to keep drug on shelves

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An herbal drug sold as a natural alternative to pain medication will soon be banned from stores. It’s called kratom, and is made from the leaf of a tree common in southeast Asia.
People take it by mixing its powder into a drink, or by swallowing pills. It can work as a stimulant but higher doses can produce a pain-relieving effect.
Some use it to help get off of other opioids, like heroin or hydrocodone. But the DEA has deemed it too dangerous, with a high potential f