A 22-year-old survived after an apparent overdose in Oxford, law enforcement said Thursday morning.
Police responded to a residence on Sweetgum Lane around 5 a.m. and found the unidentified individual unresponsive. Emergency personnel were called to the scene and were able to revive the individual. Authorities noted that the individual was alert and oriented when transported by ambulance to further medical care.
The individual is expected to recover. Officials did not disclose what measures were taken to revive the individual.
Police, however, did confirm that the individual was neither a student nor was the incident related to any area school. But as is reported to be the case in the recent deaths of Ole Miss students 20-year-old Robert Strang and 18-year-old Aidan Hamilton, this incident is said to have involved synthetic kratom products.
Officials, while not specifying the products, said the individual possessed synthetic kratom substances. Authorities, at this time, do not suspect that these products were purchased in the Oxford area. In Strang and Hamilton’s cases, the illicit products are reported to have been bought in Oxford and nearby Water Valley.
“The Oxford Police Department, working with the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit, is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident,” a release from OPD said.
Authorities are reminding the public about the risks associated with synthetic kratom products. The Mississippi State Department of Health has also warned residents that just because a product is available at a local retailer doesn’t mean it’s safe to consume.
In the meantime, two employees of Oxford retailer Puff’s Vape Tobacco & Beer — 51-year-old Yahya Mosleh and 18-year-old Islam Mohamed — are facing both state and federal charges for allegedly selling illegal substances. The business was raided by law enforcement on Sept. 24, and police recovered more than 500 units of kratom, along with an assortment of THC cartridges, gummies, and other suspected narcotics. Hamilton is reported to have purchased illicit products at the store.
As police continue to investigate illegal drug sales and possible overdoses in Oxford, the public is urged to call 911 if somebody is experiencing an overdose.
