Keeping Ashland Healthy - Episode 123 – Drug Take Back | Kratom |MedetomidineKeeping Ashland Healthy - Episode 123 – Drug Take Back | Kratom |Medetomidine
Keeping Ashland Healthy
On the next episode of Keeping Ashland Healthy, Join Alyse and David as they talk about three issues impacting families right now: National Drug Take Back Day and how to safely clear out unused medications, Ohio’s move...
23:41•21 Apr 2026
Kratom, Medetomidine and Drug Take Back: What Ashland Families Need to Know
Episode Overview
- Clearing out unused medications and using local drop boxes helps prevent theft, misuse, and potential overdoses in the home.
- Kratom can feel stimulating in low doses but can act like an opioid in higher doses, with addiction and withdrawal similar to heroin or fentanyl.
- Synthetic kratom is unregulated and especially risky, and Ohio is moving to ban these products due to safety concerns.
- Medetomidine, an animal sedative, is being mixed into fentanyl, greatly increasing overdose risk and making withdrawal more severe.
- Naloxone should still be used in suspected overdoses to counter the opioid component, while emergency services and medical withdrawal support remain essential.
“How could they possibly sell something that's that addictive at the gas station?”
How do different strategies aid in addiction recovery? This local-focused episode takes that question seriously, zeroing in on three urgent drug issues facing Ashland County and beyond. Mental Health and Recovery Board director David Ross teams up with substance use specialist Elyse Schrader to break down National Drug Take Back Day, kratom, and the rise of medetomidine in the fentanyl supply. If you’ve ever wondered whether those old pills in the bathroom cabinet really matter, you’ll hear why they do.
David points out that even trusted grandkids might have friends who “will go through your medicine cabinet… and if they see something… they’re going to take it.” The message is clear: unused medication is a risk, and drop boxes and Drug Take Back Day are simple ways to protect your household. Elyse then unpacks kratom, often sold at petrol stations and vape shops with big promises for pain, sleep, weight loss, or helping with addiction.
She explains that in low doses it acts like a powerful stimulant, but in higher doses it behaves like an opioid, with withdrawal that “can be very similar to heroin and fentanyl.” The pair touch on Ohio’s move to ban synthetic kratom and stress that even so-called “natural” products are far from a magic fix. The conversation finishes with medetomidine, a veterinary sedative now being mixed into fentanyl.
David and Elyse explain how this increases overdose risk, why naloxone still matters, and how withdrawal may become harsher and more complicated. They emphasise quick medical help, access to naloxone, and the value of supervised withdrawal management instead of trying to tough it out alone. Throughout, they keep the tone practical, local, and a bit cheeky, while repeatedly pulling the focus back to prevention, kids, and family safety.
It might leave you asking: what small step could you take today to help keep your community safer?
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