What is kratom, the 'gas station heroin' alarming officials in the US?

Image source, Getty ImagesByBrandon Drenon and Madeline HalpertJeffrey Deaver, a 58-year-old retired timber cutter in the state of Washington, has taken kratom for four years to help with severe chronic hip and knee pain.He discovered the herbal product when he couldn't find relief from doctors and while waiting for surgeries. Scared at first, he "started small", but then took more until his pain went away."It was like a miracle," Deaver said. "I could sleep. I could function."I just don't know what I'd do without it."Kratom - an herb with opioid-like effects - has grown in popularity in the US over the last decade, and is typically purchased over-the-counter and consumed in pill or liquid form.This week, investigators found packaged kratom in the possession of two deceased University of Mississippi students. Although their deaths were not attributed to kratom, officials are now issuing warnings about its consumption.For years, anti-kratom advocates have pushed for bans, and in some countries, like the UK, it's illegal. But Kratom is not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration and is legal in some states, including Mississippi.Here's what we know about it:Kratom is a tree ...