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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Kratom's risks are getting harder to ignore. A new study in Addiction found that U.S. poison center reports for the psychoactive plant jumped from just 19 cases in 2010 to 1,242 in 2023 — a 65-fold increase. States that banned kratom saw significantly fewer exposures and severe outcomes compared to those with little or no regulation.
Kratom's risks are getting harder to ignore. A new study published in Addiction found that U.S. poison center reports for the psychoactive plant skyrocketed from just 19 cases in 2010 to 1,242 in 2023 — a more than 65-fold surge. Severe outcomes, including life-threatening complications, lasting disability, and death, climbed from zero in 2010 to 158 cases in 2023. The risks are even greater when kratom is combined with other substances, as it often is, due to its tendency to interfere with drug metabolism.
The study also revealed a clear regulatory divide: states that banned kratom had significantly lower rates of poison center reports, severe outcomes, and hospitalizations compared to states with consumer protection policies or no regulation at all. Kratom remains unscheduled under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act and unapproved by the FDA, leaving a patchwork of state-level rules — or none at all.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With kratom use rising and no federal regulatory framework in place, clinicians and policymakers are navigating significant uncertainty. This study makes a strong case that stricter regulation — not just consumer protection guidelines — could meaningfully reduce serious harm.
