LEXINGTON, Ky. — For many people, the wear and tear of daily labor can build up over the years.

“In Kentucky, there is a large culture of physical jobs that happen," said Erica Shumway, APRN nurse practitioner and provider with Groups Recover Together. "When you have very physical jobs, people have chronic pain. So they're trying to find ways to treat their chronic pain."

Those individuals seeking treatment are the reason Shumway is helping her own patients avoid dangerous alternatives.

Over the past two years, she has seen a rise in people turning to kratom-based products. The kratom plant is a tropical tree in the coffee family that grows in Southeast Asia.

“They’re using it over there for different uses, and they found that it increased some stimulant effects," she said. "Workers in

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