Overdoses of kratom, a psychoactive herbal supplement often sold at gas stations and vape shops, have surged over the past decade, a U.S. study found.
Kratom-related calls to 53 poison control centers climbed from 258 cases in 2015 to 3,434 in 2025, an increase of more than 1,200%, according to data published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia, where it has traditionally been used to help with pain relief, boost mood, and ease opioid withdrawal symptoms.
In the U.S., it's sold in various forms, including powders, tablets, gummies, and energy shots.
An estimated 1.7 million Americans aged 12 and older used kratom in 2021, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Most of the calls to poison control centers during the study period involved males and adults aged 20 to 39, although the fastest growth was among those aged 40 to 59, the report said.
Hospitalizations for kratom went from 43 in 2015 to 538 in 2025, a 1,150% increase, the researchers also found.
Overall, they documented 233 deaths linked to kratom exposure, the majority involving other substances.
Study leader Dr. Chris Holstege from UVA Health's Blue Ridge Poison Center in Virginia said he and his colleagues are seeing the national pattern repeated in their local clinical practice, with more patients having serious complications after using kratom products.
"We want the public to be aware that these products contain chemicals of varying concentrations... that have complex pharmacological actions and can cause drug interactions and adverse consequences in humans," Holstege said in a statement.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned the public to avoid kratom in general and in particular 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a potent psychoactive chemical found in high concentrations in kratom products.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is reviewing whether to classify 7-OH as a Schedule I substance, putting it on a par with drugs like heroin.
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