STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force is calling for a statewide ban on the sale of kratom, a legal but dangerous substance that critics say is being marketed to children.

Kratom, an opioid-like substance, could become the next major gateway drug that sets children on the path to addiction, according to the task force’s final report and recommendations for Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators.

The report, unveiled at a news conference earlier this month hosted by District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, shines a spotlight on the plant-based substance that often is touted as a natural supplement.

Widely sold at convenience stores, delis and gas stations on Staten Island and throughout the United States, kratom is legal in New York and most other states

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