GREAT FALLS — A Montana mother has spoken out after her son died last year from what appeared to be a safe, natural supplement known as kratom. It is a plant that comes from tropical evergreen trees in Southeast Asia, marketed as an alternative for pain treatment and vitality, but scientists warn that it can be as addictive and hazardous as opioids.

"My son died on September 12th, 2024, from kratom," said Kelli McCann of her son Ben Wilcock. "He had been using it for a long time and felt it was safe. He believed how it was marketed — as safe as coffee.”

McCann and public health advocates discuss the dangers: Parent warns of the dangers of kratom after son's death

Ben was an operations manager at a beverage company. He suffered from psoriatic arthritis and disliked pharmaceutical pills

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