Initial Story Blog
I am going to use a piece that I am writing for News Corps this semester. The topic is Kratom, an herb from tropical parts of Asia and African, being used outside of the doctor’s to treat opioid addiction. Kratom is taking revenue from big pharmaceutical companies, causing the FDA to impose a ban on Kratom. I am following this “war on Kratom” through accounts of opiate users, Kratom vendors, and members of the public health departments/social workers. I am focusing on Kratom in Denver and then relating it to a more national issue.
I am excited to do this topic because it seems that almost everyday there is more news breaking out over the topic. I think I will be able to incorporate a lot of Tweet updates as well as Instagrams.
I am planning on following through with some of the contacts I have made already to potentially get some more blurbs from them. I think this project provides me with a lot of information and current news to keep my work interesting and relevant.
In class, I received some feedback to make sure that I am still staying rooted as a journalist and not being for or against Kratom. Rather, I want to take the approach of hearing subject’s stories and piecing that together with hard facts.
I am still unsure of the live element, but that will hopefully come to me soon.
