Is Kratom safe or not? Here's a look at the debate

Crystal Miller is the manager at the CBD Superstore on Sunshine Street in Springfield, Mo.

She is also a user of the plant-based drug, Kratom. She says she used it to get off of opioids. Her drug of choice was percocet. Opioids are one of the leading causes of overdose deaths in the U.S.

Miller says it's been two years since she beat her addiction and she attributes her success to Kratom. She says depending on the strain of Kratom, the drug can give a different sense of feeling. It can come in powder, liquid or capsule form.

While Crystal says Kratom has been her saving grace, she understands why people would be nervous about it. She advises everyone to only use it as directed.

CoxHealth Registered Nurse Marti Miller says she knows people who have used Kratom to get away from drug abuse.

"I would just ask them to talk to their primary care physician," said Miller.

While the drug is legal in Missouri, it's banned in several other states, including Arkansas. Kratom is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration. The FDA warns people it could expose them to addiction, abuse, or dependence.