What we know as officials investigate the deaths of 2 Ole Miss students

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Authorities continue to investigate the deaths of two University of Mississippi students — where kratom, a packaged herbal supplement, was found in both probes but not verified as connected to the deaths — following a rowdy weekend centered on a major football rivalry .

There has been an outpouring of support from fellow students. Several fraternities and sororities have mourned the loss of the students and have placed black ribbons outside their on-campus homes, CNN affiliate WMC reported .

Olivia Claire Williford, president of the university’s Associated Student Body , said the deaths have encouraged students to have conversations about taking care of themselves and looking after their peers.

“This has been difficult for our student body, but I have also seen tremendous compassion, kindness, and support throughout our community,” Williford said in an email Wednesday. “Behind the headlines are students, friends, classmates, and families who are grieving … I hope the nation sees an Ole Miss student body that is supporting one another, encouraging each other, and remaining united during a very difficult time.”

The students were found dead at their homes on and off the campus in Oxford. Autopsies are being scheduled, CNN affiliate WAPT reported , citing the Lafayette County coroner, to whom CNN has reached out. Authorities have not released their names, ages or genders.

Here’s what we know about the students’ deaths.

While there is no confirmed evidence the deaths Monday are connected to kratom or any other substance, packaged kratom – an opioid-like herb that can produce both stimulant and sedative effects – sold from a retail store was found in both investigations, according to Lafayette County Metro Narcotics , a multiagency law enforcement unit.

Officials asked people to avoid kratom and “any other medication or substance that was not prescribed to you or obtained from a trusted, regulated source.”

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“The University is heartbroken by the recent loss of two students and extends our condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time,” Dr. Shawnboda Mead, vice chancellor for student affairs, said on X .

The school is aware of “considerable unverified information” on social media and indicated the local coroner’s office has confirmed only two student deaths, she said. School officials are in contact with local and state law enforcement amid the ongoing investigation.

Though details about the students’ cause of death have not been made public, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves in a statement stressed that illegal drugs “are a serious problem at colleges and universities throughout the country.”

“Please talk to your children about this situation and the dangers associated with taking illegal drugs,” Reeves said. “There has never been a more dangerous time to be a young person in American society.”

Mississippi is in the third year of its One Pill Can Kill initiative aimed at reducing overdose deaths, including those related to fentanyl. Additionally, just last week, the state attorney general “trained students at The University of Mississippi - Ole Miss on how to administer Narcan and provided students with the tools they need to help save a life in the event of an overdose,” the official announced.

The drug is an over-the-counter, nasal spray version of naloxone , a medication that can stop a potentially fatal overdose from opioids.

The federal government recently cracked down on some potent kratom-related compounds, which in natural and semisynthetic forms have been associated with mild to severe cases of addiction and poisoning . Natural kratom is regulated in at least 22 states and banned in eight.

Kratom, which comes from the leaves of the tropical tree Mitragyna speciosa, native to Southeast Asia, is not illegal in Mississippi, though Oxford and other cities have banned sales of related products, The Associated Press has reported. Across some states, it may be sold to people of all ages at gas stations, smoke shops and convenience, grocery and health food stores and in various forms, including powders, loose-leaf teas, capsules, tablets and concentrates.

The use, purchase, possession, distribution and sale of kratom products has been illegal in Lafayette County since 2021, the Board of Supervisors reminded residents on Wednesday.

CNN’s Kristen Rogers, Isabel Rosales and Avni Trivedi contributed to this report.

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在围绕一场重要的橄榄球对抗赛而发生的喧闹周末之后，两名密西西比大学学生的死亡事件仍在调查中——在两次调查中都发现了包装好的草药补充剂卡痛，但尚未证实与死亡有关。

同学们纷纷表达了哀悼之情。据CNN附属电视台WMC报道，多个兄弟会和姐妹会为遇难学生表示哀悼，并在他们的校园宿舍外挂上了黑丝带。

该大学学生会主席奥利维亚·克莱尔·威利福德表示，这些死亡事件促使学生们开始讨论如何照顾自己和照顾同伴。

“这对我们的学生来说无疑是艰难的，但我同时也看到了我们整个社区展现出的巨大同情心、善良和支持，”威利福德周三在一封电子邮件中写道。“新闻报道背后，是正在经历悲痛的学生、朋友、同学和家人……我希望全国人民都能看到，在这一艰难时刻，密西西比大学的学生们是如何互相支持、互相鼓励、团结一致的。”

这些学生被发现死于牛津市校内和校外的家中。据CNN附属电视台WAPT报道，拉斐特县验尸官表示，尸检正在安排中。CNN已联系该验尸官。当局尚未公布死者的姓名、年龄和性别。

以下是我们目前了解到的学生死亡情况。

虽然没有确凿证据表明周一的死亡事件与卡痛或其他任何物质有关，但据拉斐特县都会区缉毒局（一个多机构执法部门）称，在两起调查中都发现了从零售店出售的包装好的卡痛——一种类似阿片类药物的草药，可以产生兴奋剂和镇静剂的双重作用。

官员们呼吁人们避免服用卡痛以及“任何其他未经医生处方或未从可信赖的正规渠道获得的药物或物质”。

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“大学对最近两名学生的离世感到无比悲痛，在这个艰难的时刻，我们向他们的家人、朋友和亲人表示慰问，”学生事务副校长肖恩博达·米德博士在X上说道。

学校方面表示，他们注意到社交媒体上存在“大量未经证实的信息”，并指出当地验尸官办公室仅确认了两名学生死亡。目前，学校官员正与当地和州执法部门保持联系，协助进行调查。

虽然有关学生死因的细节尚未公开，但密西西比州州长泰特·里夫斯在一份声明中强调，非法毒品“是全国各地高校面临的严重问题”。

里夫斯说：“请和您的孩子谈谈这种情况以及服用非法毒品的危险。对于美国社会的年轻人来说，现在从未是比现在更危险的时期。”

密西西比州“一药致命”计划已进入第三年，旨在减少过量用药死亡，包括芬太尼相关的死亡。此外，就在上周，该州总检察长宣布，他“在密西西比大学（老密西西比大学）培训了学生如何使用纳洛酮，并向学生提供了在发生过量用药事件时挽救生命所需的工具”。

该药物是纳洛酮的非处方鼻喷剂版本，纳洛酮是一种可以阻止阿片类药物过量致死的药物。

联邦政府近期严厉打击了一些强效的克拉托姆相关化合物，这些化合物无论是天然的还是半合成的，都与轻度至重度的成瘾和中毒病例有关。天然克拉托姆在至少22个州受到管制，在8个州被禁止。

卡痛（Kratom）提取自原产于东南亚的热带树木Mitragyna speciosa的叶子，据美联社报道，虽然牛津市和其他一些城市已经禁止销售相关产品，但卡痛在密西西比州并不违法。在一些州，卡痛可以在加油站、烟草店、便利店、杂货店和保健食品店出售，形式多样，包括粉末、散装茶叶、胶囊、片剂和浓缩液，而且可以卖给各个年龄段的人。

拉斐特县监事会周三提醒居民，自 2021 年以来，使用、购买、持有、分销和销售卡痛产品在该县都是非法的。

CNN的克里斯汀·罗杰斯、伊莎贝尔·罗萨莱斯和阿夫尼·特里维迪对本报道亦有贡献。