LANSING, Mich. (WOWO) — Drug-related deaths in the greater Lansing area fell from the first quarter of 2026 but remained above year-ago levels, with medical examiners reporting an increase in cases involving kratom products. A new report from the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Department of Forensic Pathology documented nearly 30 drug-related deaths between April 1 and June 30, including 23 in Ingham County. Opioids were present in about half of the deaths reported during the second quarter, according to the report cited by News 10. Although the total declined from the first three months of the year, officials said the latest figures remained higher than those recorded during the same period last year. Medical examiners are also seeing kratom products more frequently in death investigations, raising concerns about concentrated versions of the substance and their growing presence in the community. “We are seeing a lot of the Kratom products now in our deaths,” the report stated. Kratom comes from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves contain compounds that can affect opioid receptors in the brain. Some people use kratom products in an attempt to manage pain, anxiety or depression, and the products are widely available at some vape shops and convenience stores. According to the report, four of the drug-related deaths in Ingham County involved kratom products detected in the individuals’ systems. Amanda Wallace of the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Department of Forensic Pathology said medical examiners have also encountered mitragynine, a primary active compound in kratom, and concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH, in several cases. “So, we’re seeing the mitrogenene and the O7-concentrated version of it in several of our cases from this past year. So, that’s gone up a lot,” Wallace said, according to News 10. The findings do not establish that kratom or its compounds caused each death in which they were detected. However, the increased presence of the products in death investigations has drawn attention from medical examiners and state lawmakers. Wallace urged people experiencing substance use disorders to seek assistance through local health departments, saying resources are available to help those who need support. Michigan lawmakers are considering potential restrictions on kratom products amid the concerns. A bill passed by the state House earlier this year would ban the sale of kratom products in Michigan, but the legislation had not yet been taken up by the Senate as of the report. State senators introduced separate legislation in September that would regulate kratom sales rather than impose the proposed House ban. The debate centers on how the state should address products that are readily available to consumers while concerns grow over concentrated formulations and their appearance in drug-related deaths. Ingham County accounted for 23 of the nearly 30 deaths reported across the greater Lansing area during the second quarter. Clinton and Ionia counties reported no drug-related deaths during that period, according to the report. The latest figures underscore the continuing challenge of drug-related fatalities in mid-Michigan, even as quarterly totals fluctuate. Medical examiners are monitoring the substances found in these cases, including opioids and increasingly reported kratom products, while lawmakers consider possible changes to state policy. The post Michigan Drug Deaths Remain Above Last Year’s Levels, New Report Shows appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less