Over the past decade, and especially in the past year, there has been a surge in kratom-related calls to poison control centers—including calls for serious events that required hospitalization, according to data published in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Why It’s Relevant
The kratom plant—which is used for both its psychoactive and (purported) pain-relieving properties—is widely available in the United States in various products that are sold in vape shops, gas stations, and online. But both kratom leaves and newer semisynthetic extracts like 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) are underregulated and pose significant health risks.
By the Numbers
- In 2025, U.S. poison centers received 3,434 reports of kratom exposure—an increase of 1,200% from 2015 (258 reports). Incidents of kratom exposure that required hospitalization likewise saw a more than 1,000% increase (from 83 in 2015 to 1,087 in 2025).
- The number of reports more than doubled between 2024 and 2025—which coincides with the emergence of 7-OH products.
- Overall, 62% of the reports involved exposure solely to kratom, while 38% involved multiple substances. Multi-substance exposures were consistently associated with higher rates of hospitalization or death.
What’s More
While alcohol (22%) and opioids (16%) were the most common substances reported alongside kratom in multi-substance poison reports, antidepressants were cited in 14% of reports—underscoring a connection between kratom use and mental health.
The Other Side
The poison center data don’t include details on what kratom products were ingested (traditional leaf products or semisynthetic products), so conclusions about formulation-specific risks cannot be made. Also, it wasn’t possible to determine whether kratom was the catalyst for a medical problem in cases of multi-substance use.
Takeaway Message
As kratom-related adverse effects increase in number and complexity, continued surveillance is important—especially data that distinguish the risks of different products. The researchers wrote: “Building this evidence base is essential to promoting safe kratom use, identifying high-risk combinations of substances, and guiding public health action to prevent future health effects in this rapidly evolving drug landscape.”
Related Information
Source
Eleanor Blair Towers, et al. Increases in kratom-related reports to poison centers—National Poison Data System, United States, 2015–2025. MMWR. Published March 26, 2026. doi: dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7511a1
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