LANSING, Mich. – A new forensic report released by the University of Michigan Health‑Sparrow Department of Forensic Pathology shows that drug‑related deaths in the greater Lansing area remain above the same period last year, even though the quarterly total fell slightly from the first three months of 2026.
Quarterly figures
The report documented almost 30 drug‑related deaths between April 1 and June 30, including 23 in Ingham County. Opioids were present in about half of those deaths, according to the data cited by News 10. While the total number of deaths declined from the first quarter, officials said the latest figures are still higher than those recorded during the same period in 2025.
Kratom increasingly detected
Medical examiners are noting a rise in the detection of kratom products in death investigations. Four of the Ingham County deaths involved kratom, and investigators have also identified the plant’s primary active compound, mitragynine, as well as a concentrated form known as 7‑hydroxymitragynine (7‑OH) in several cases.
“We are seeing a lot of the kratom products now in our deaths,” the report states. “The mitragynine and the 7‑OH‑concentrated version of it have gone up a lot in several of our cases from this past year.” – Amanda Wallace, University of Michigan Health‑Sparrow Department of Forensic Pathology.
Legislative response
State lawmakers are weighing how to address the growing presence of kratom. Earlier this year the Michigan House passed a bill that would ban the sale of kratom products statewide, but the measure has not yet been taken up by the Senate. In September, Senate leaders introduced separate legislation that would regulate kratom sales rather than impose an outright ban.
The debate centers on balancing consumer access to a product that is widely sold in vape shops and convenience stores with concerns about concentrated formulations that may contribute to overdose risk.
Public‑health resources
Wallace urged anyone struggling with substance‑use disorders to seek help through local health departments, noting that resources are available to support recovery. The report underscores the ongoing challenge of drug‑related fatalities in mid‑Michigan, even as quarterly totals fluctuate.
County breakdown
Ingham County accounted for 23 of the nearly 30 deaths reported across the greater Lansing area during the second quarter. Clinton and Ionia counties reported no drug‑related deaths in the same period.
Medical examiners continue to monitor the substances found in these cases, including opioids and the increasingly reported kratom products, while state legislators consider possible changes to Michigan’s drug‑policy framework.
Original reporting: WOWO News/Talk (Fort Wayne) — read the source article.
