Kratom addiction is on the rise | Morning Newsletter

Hi, Philly. Yet another reminder to be careful out there: The city reports five heat-related deaths so far this summer. That’s a downward trend, despite rising temperatures.

Kratom addiction is on the rise in the region, as powerful extracts sold as “7-OH” in smoke shops simulate the effects of opioids. Our lead story explains how the drug has proliferated, and thus far escaped regulation.

And the Frank Rizzo statue, once a symbol of racial strife in Philadelphia, might be returned to the committee that owns it.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Kratom is marketed as a relaxation-promoting herbal supplement and sold over the counter at gas stations and smoke shops — which could lead consumers to believe it’s harmless. It’s not.

The kratom derivative known as 7-OH is as potent as morphine, and brings painful withdrawal symptoms. Some people use it to get off opioids, only to find themselves addicted to another opioid-like substance. Easy access to the largely unregulated drug has led to a rise in kratom-related rehab visits in the Philly region.

“You have people starting out with 5 milligrams or less, then they’re taking 50, 60, then 200mg a day,” a kratom seller told The Inquirer. “It latches on and it doesn’t let go.”

Lawmakers have been slow to respond, though in February, a state senator from Berks County introduced a bill that would restrict kratom sales in Pennsylvania to people 21 and over, among other limitations.

Reporters Max Marin, Ryan Briggs, and Aubrey Whelan have the story.

In other health news: A new program at Fox Chase Cancer Center helps young adults with cancer navigate unique challenges, like fertility and sexual health.

A bronze, 10-foot statue of Frank Rizzo stood at Center City’s Municipal Services Building for over two decades. But it’s been in storage since 2020, when the likeness of the controversial former mayor and police commissioner was removed from public view amid civil rights protests and repeated vandalism.

The history of the statue is in many ways tied to the history of Philly’s attitudes toward policing, protest, racial justice, and legacy.

Now, the Philadelphia Art Commission is expected to reach a settlement with the Frank L. Rizzo Monument Committee — the group that commissioned the work and donated it to the city — setting up the possibility for the statue to be displayed once more.

Reporter Nick Vadala has the details.

The Berks County native announced her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, in collaboration with the New Heights podcast co-hosted by the Kelce brothers.

Vine Street will see reduced traffic lanes (and likely traffic delays) through January while safety improvements are made. Which major infrastructure project is expected to come to the Center City thoroughfare in the next few years?

A) Chinatown Stitch

B) I-95 cap

C) Broad, Germantown, and Erie intersection improvement

D) Market Street revamp in Old City

Think you know? Check your answer.

🪿 Questioning: Why Wawa is opening its first travel center in ... North Carolina?

🍷 Visiting: This urban winery’s new Media location.

📺 Counting down to: The release date for the Delco-filmed Task.

🐶 Loving: The name of comedian Nate Bargatze’s newly adopted rescue dog.

🔔 Considering: The importance of telling and preserving the full story of American history.

Hint: South Jersey town

MR. TALON

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Nicole Bazis, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Instagram. Check out our guide on the app’s new map feature — and how to keep it turned off.

Glide on into your Wednesday. May it be a good one.

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