Mississippi's health department is urging residents to avoid counterfeit pills and unregulated psychoactive products after two University of Mississippi students died this week in Oxford. Investigators have not named a cause of death for either student, and toxicology results are still pending.
The Mississippi State Department of Health warning followed reports that packaged kratom was found during both death investigations. Officials stressed that kratom has not been identified as a cause of death. The warning targets a broader risk: pills, gummies, liquids, and shots bought outside a pharmacy whose contents cannot be verified by sight.
For parents of college students, the concern is practical. A tablet that looks like a prescription drug, or a product sold in polished retail packaging, can contain substances and strengths the buyer never intended to take.
Two Deaths and an Open Investigation in Oxford
The Lafayette County coroner's office said both students were male, Fox News reported. The 18-year-old died in a room at Stewart Hall, a campus residence hall, and the 20-year-old was found in an off-campus home. Their names have not been released, and the coroner said the deaths may not be connected.
Lafayette County Metro Narcotics said packaged kratom sold from a retail store was found during both investigations, but it had no information that the two deaths were linked, NBC News reported. Authorities said they had not confirmed that kratom or any other substance contributed to either death. The agency urged everyone to avoid kratom and any substance not prescribed to them or obtained from a trusted, regulated source.
Kratom can be sold legally in much of Mississippi to people 21 and older, but more than 30 counties, including Lafayette County, and several cities restrict or ban it, Mississippi Today reported. The university has said it is not aware of any additional student deaths, contradicting rumors on social media.
Gov. Tate Reeves has moved to speed up the toxicology reports, which the coroner said could otherwise take weeks.
A Warning That Reaches Beyond Kratom
The state's alert is not about one substance. MSDH said a product's label, appearance or place of sale may not reliably show what it contains, and that counterfeit pills can be made to closely resemble legitimate prescription medications.
"The most important message for Mississippians is that you cannot determine what is in an unregulated product simply by looking at it," said Jon Hubanks, director of the MSDH Center for Injury Prevention & Recovery. The department noted that the FDA has warned about concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, products sold at gas stations, smoke shops and corner stores, and says 7-OH is not approved for medical use. The U.S. Department of Justice also recently announced the emergency scheduling of three manufactured compounds related to mitragynine or 7-OH.
Officials have not said which kratom products were found or what they contained. MSDH itself cautioned against identifying a substance from packaging, product names, or early reports, noting that lab testing, toxicology, and investigation may be needed to learn what contributed to a death. The kratom finding is a lead under review, not a conclusion.
The week before the deaths, the state attorney general's office trained Ole Miss students to administer Narcan, CNN reported. Free naloxone is also available from vending machines on campus and in Oxford's downtown parking garage. MSDH is urging students to carry naloxone even if they do not use drugs themselves.
Overdose Signs and Free Naloxone in Mississippi
MSDH lists these warning signs of a possible opioid overdose: being unable to wake or respond; slow, shallow, or stopped breathing; choking, gurgling, or snoring-like sounds; blue, gray, or discolored lips or fingernails; and pinpoint pupils. If an overdose is suspected, give naloxone if it is available and call 911 immediately. Naloxone will not harm someone if no opioid is involved.
Narcan is a nasal spray, and each device holds one dose. Product instructions advise giving a second dose if the person does not respond within two to three minutes. For any serious reaction to an unknown product, opioid or not, MSDH advises calling 911 right away.
Mississippi residents can request a free naloxone kit by mail through the MSDH naloxone program or find resources at ODfree.org. Fentanyl test strips can detect fentanyl in many products, but not every dangerous substance, and a negative result is not proof that a product is safe.
Some reactions would be premature. No official has announced a recall or identified a contaminated batch, so there is no evidence that kratom products on store shelves are involved. The state's advice is simpler: Avoid unknown or unregulated substances, and never assume packaging tells the full story.
The coroner's findings will determine the official causes of death, and no release date has been announced. MedicalDaily will update this report when results are released. Until then, the most reliable steps for families are the ones officials have already named: Keep naloxone nearby, know the signs, and call 911 quickly.
Key Questions Answered
What happened at Ole Miss?
Two male University of Mississippi students, ages 18 and 20, died this week in Oxford. Packaged kratom was found during both investigations, but investigators have not named a cause of death.
Did kratom cause the deaths?
That has not been determined. Authorities said they have not confirmed that kratom or any other substance contributed to either death, and toxicology results are pending.
What is the Mississippi health department warning about?
MSDH is warning that counterfeit pills and unregulated products such as tablets, gummies, liquids and shots may contain substances or strengths that cannot be identified by label or appearance.
What are the signs of an opioid overdose?
Warning signs include being unable to wake, slow or stopped breathing, gurgling or snoring sounds, blue or gray lips or fingernails and pinpoint pupils. Call 911 and give naloxone if available.
How can Mississippians get free naloxone?
Residents can request a free kit by mail through MSDH or visit ODfree.org.
When will the causes of death be known?
State officials are working to speed up toxicology testing, but no release date has been announced.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
