Kratom deaths 2018. In 2017, more than 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids, a 2-fold increase in a decade. The major psychoactive chemical component of Kratom is mitragynine. This is case 3 out of 49 cases for bupropion hydrochloride found in the 2016 American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) toxicology report received on 02-Jan-2018. 16–18 Social media analyses from the National Drug Early Warning System identify increasing kratom and 7-OH product discussion, rising steadily from June 2024 to May 2025. The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to ensure the safety and health of American communities by combating criminal drug networks bringing harm, violence, overdoses, and poisonings to the United States. Kratom is a psychoactive substance in Thailand. 27, the Texas Poison Center Network had received 192 reports of exposures “Kratom” commonly refers to an herbal substance that can produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects. The autopsy reports in which … A new CDC report finds that more deaths have been linked to kratom than previously reported. This study of 15 kratom-related deaths in Colorado from 1999 through 2017 inclu The botanical substance kratom may be emerging as a small but dangerous piece of the nation's ongoing drug crisis, a new analysis shows. In 2018, the US Food and Drug Admin-istration (FDA) cited 44 cases of kratom-associated deaths based on coroner or forensic toxicology reports [12], and, subsequently, the DEA listed it as a drug of concern. Schimmel et al. These findings add substantially to the knowledge base on kratom-associated deaths; these need systematic, accurate recording. between 2016 and 2017, according to Notably, we also reviewed reports from the years 2018 and 2019, but there were no kratom-associated deaths in those years. 25, 2018, shows Indonesian kratom grower Gusti Prabu displaying samples of the plant leaves in dried and shredded form at a farm in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. Patti Wheeler, from Florida, whose son died from a kratom overdose, center, is recognized as she stands with Sen. , especially among those who are seeking to self-medicate for chronic pain, mental health conditions, or opioid withdrawal. Three more deaths in Los Angeles County have been linked to kratom, a compound that is being synthetically reproduced and sold over the counter as a cure-all for a host of ailments, the county Facing a rising death toll associated with the use of kratom, the U. Most of the deaths were caused by a fatal mixture of kratom and at least one other substance, but 46 people overdosed solely on the herb. The opioid class of drugs include heroin, fentanyl, methadone, morphine, oxycodone and many other prescription and non-prescription pain relievers. Although kratom use has been part of life for centuries in Southeast Asia, the availability and use of kratom in the United States (US) increased substantially since the early 2000s when there was little information on kratom pharmacology, use patterns, and effects, all critical to guiding More than 90 deaths in the United States have been caused by kratom between July 2016 and December 2017, according to a CDC report. 5 We reviewed Colorado death certificates for any mention of kratom or mitragynine from 1999 through 2017 and identified 15 kratom- related deaths (see the Supplementary Appendix, available with the full text of this letter at NEJM. 2 Abstract Background: Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) use has increased in Western countries, with a growing number of associated deaths. With the legal fate of kratom hanging in the balance, some health officials are pushing dubious claims about the herbal supplement's deadly risks. online and in brick-and-mortar stores. Products prepared from kratom leaves are available in the U. Instead of blaming kratom as the cause of death, it points to polysubstance use,” said Jane Babin, PhD, a molecular biologist and patent attorney. § Although postmortem toxicology testing varies in scope among medical examiners and coroners, SUDORS records all substances detected on postmortem toxicology testing, along with overdose-specific circumstances. Some are poly-drug cases while others were reportedly Data on adverse events and fatalities Kratom use is rising in the U. As of 2018, there have been no formal trials to study the efficacy or safety of kratom to treat opioid addiction. Because deaths have been attributed to kratom in the United States (7), some jurisdictions have passed or are considering legislation to make kratom use a felony (8). Casey Patterson, drug intelligence officer for the state Division of Criminal Investigation, added that in three cases during that same timeframe, kratom was the only drug found in postmortem toxicology. deaths related to kratom is not known; national, state and local authorities may not be testing for the product. The two former Vape CVD Kratom Super Stores on Sunshine Street have rebranded since being sued for a Springfield man's fatal kratom overdose. In fact, as early as 2018, the FDA reported 44 deaths associated with kratom, some involving pure mitragynine—the primary active compound in the substance. S. These are not isolated cases. Kratom is a complex botanical comprising of over 40 alkaloid constituents. The FDA says the incidents “underscore the serious and sometimes deadly risks” of kratom, but the list contains a In the context of the US opioid epidemic in which 46,600 opioid-attributed deaths were estimated by the CDC in 2017 (CDC, 2018), and which has been rapidly escalating for more than a decade (Jalal et al. Made from a plant native to Southeast Asia, kratom can be A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that kratom was a cause of death in nearly 100 people over a 17-month period -- a higher number than previously reported. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) consumption and associated health effects have raised debates in the United States. Additionally, a new report by the CDC found that kratom caused 91 overdose deaths in 27 states. health officials. Mike McKell This picture taken on Dec. FDA and Kratom Kratom is a tropical tree (Mitragyna speciosa) that is native to Southeast Asia. This study aims to elucidate the characteristics and pathologies of autopsied cases where mitragynine was present and quantify the amounts of mitragynine. Food and Drug Administration is escalating its campaign against kratom with the release of new information describing a series of deaths involving the popular herbal drug. . Learn about the health effects of opioid use. Aims: This study details characteristics of such fatalities and provides a ‘state-of-the-art’ review. Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 3 by Supervisor Janice Hahn, 4th District, directing county experts to develop recommendations to prevent deaths and serious harm linked to kratom and the chemical compound known as 7-OH. Opioids are a class of natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic drugs. These findings have prompted the FDA to issue warning letters to numerous businesses that sell kratom illegally. , 2018), it is important to provide some basis for estimating the relative risk of kratom-associated deaths as compared to morphine-like opioids. Deaths in Colorado Attributed to Kratom N Engl J Med. [7] Stanciu et Santa Barbara County health officials have issued a warning to residents to avoid kratom products after confirming two overdose deaths in 2025, and five in the past three years, involving the supplement. Kaiser told the committee that from 2022 through 2024, toxicology reports confirmed kratom was present in nine deaths in the state. Kratom-related Deaths a Growing Concern The rise in kratom use across the U. Serious Health Risks, Including Death While comprehensive national data is still developing, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that high-dose kratom and 7-OH use has been associated with serious adverse events, including seizures, coma and death, particularly when products are highly concentrated or mixed with other substances. Breaking down drug overdose deaths by drug type can be complicated as many times more than one drug may be identified, however, most drug overdose deaths (over 70%) do involve opioids. Information provided included mode of death, cause of death, sex, age, race/ethnicity, and qualitative substances found post-mortem. The exact number of U. People should be aware that kratom could be contaminated with Salmonella and could make people sick. Contaminated products may still be available for purchase because the investigation was not able to identify a single, common source of contaminated kratom. “If someone takes a lethal dose of fentanyl plus kratom, it is unreasonable to conclude that kratom was the cause of death. Apr 11, 2019 · Kratom-positive deaths accounted for <1% of all SUDORS overdose deaths during July 2016–December 2017. These include both prescription medications used to treat pain and illegal drugs like heroin. The Times’ review of kratom’s toll is the first of May 2, 2025 · In multiple public advisories, the FDA has explicitly linked kratom-containing products to dozens of deaths. On February 6, 2018 the FDA released an adverse events and scientific analysis of kratom’s alleged opioid propertiesvi, and released the reports of the 36 deaths referenced in the November 14, 2017 statement. Jun 10, 2025 · In 2018, the FDA cited 44 kratom-associated deaths and classified it as a drug of concern following DEA’s action. Kratom and kratom-based products are currently legal and accessible in many areas. There is growing debate about t Overdose deaths involving the herbal supplement kratom are more common than previously reported, according to U. Although most people using this herb do not experience adverse health effects associated with kratom use, medical providers should be Background: Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth) use has increased in Western countries, with a rising number of associated deaths. Published case reports have associated kratom exposure with psychosis, seizures, and deaths (5, 6). A Springfield attorney and founder of Safe and Sober writes that consumers should beware of 7-OH, a potent and addictive kratom derivative. This study of 15 kratom-related deaths in Colorado from 1999 through 2017 inclu Learnings from reports of death associated with kratom We’ve been carefully monitoring the use of kratom for several years, and have placed kratom products on import alert to prevent them from Background: Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth) use has increased in Western countries, with a rising number of associated deaths. org). 1056/NEJMc1811055. Between 2016 and 2017, there were 152 reported deaths linked to kratom. Kratom, an over-the-counter substance often marketed as a health supplement for pain relief, was found to be a cause of at least 91 overdose deaths in the U. Overall, the evidence about kratom’s risks and fatalities continues to grow amid claims of its safety by proponents. There is growing debate about t The U. Kratom is currently not federally scheduled as a controlled substance, but it is considered a drug of concern. The US FDA has released two series of adverse case reports of deaths possibly related to kratom. As of Aug. The first report was released on Dec 15, 2017 and the second report was released on February 20, 2018. has been accompanied by a troubling increase in kratom-related fatalities. Although kratom is not an opioid, overdose deaths involving kratom (including nonopioid overdose deaths) are included in SUDORS. Identification of kratom is method-dependent (5); therefore, these data might underestimate the number of kratom-positive deaths, although the extent cannot be determined. The agency has also been assessing peer-reviewed research and a growing number of adverse event reports associated with kratom use, including 44 reported deaths. As of May 24, 2018, this outbreak investigation is over. Consequently, the authors concluded that kratom supplements pose a public health risk and should not be presumed safe despite being legal for purchase. They outline several dozen deaths with varying levels of detail including some related to seizures, heart arhythmia, and choking on vomit. Kratom's safety profile remains only partially understood; toxic and fatal levels require quantification. Natural kratom leaf on its own has trace amounts of 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH, which is a more potent opioid-like chemical. Wyatt decided to start using kratom in 2022 as a way to help him to stop drinking alcohol, when he A new CDC report finds that more deaths have been linked to kratom than previously reported. But many Kratom is an herbal drug that at high doses has opioid-like effects, but the potential for fatal overdose is unclear. A government report released Thursday said kratom was a cause "While kratom accounted for just under 1% of overdose deaths in the study, what's most concerning is that nearly 80% of persons who died from kratom had a history of substance misuse," New York Dr. It was just over three years ago that Patti Wheeler’s son, Wyatt, died of a kratom overdose. Robert Glatter, who wasn’t involved in the CDC research, told HealthDay News. doi: 10. 1 Kratom is an herbal drug that at high doses has opioid-like effects, but the potential for fatal overdose is unclear. Dec 7, 2023 · A Tampa Bay Times investigation found that more than 580 people in Florida have died from kratom-related overdoses during the past decade — even as the industry has touted the safety of its products. An over-the-counter supplement called kratom has been linked to nearly 91 overdose deaths between 2016 and 2017, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Synthetic kratom products, often marketed under the name of the chemical, are derived from kratom and mimic the effects of highly addictive opioids like heroin or morphine. (2021) estimated a past-year kratom use prevalence of 2,031,803 adults in the US population, and a lifetime prevalence of 3,353,624 adults through the Cross-sectional Survey of Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs (NUMRx) Program (last quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019). In addition, many people use kratom to ease pain, he said. There is a growing debate about the involvement of kratom in these events. Opioids are addictive. The study also determined kratom to be a contributing factor in at least four deaths. As kratom products increase Because the withdrawal effects of kratom are often reported to be less severe than those associated with traditional opioids, [11] some people use kratom in the attempt to manage opioid use disorder, [31] though no clinical trials have been done supporting this use. County takes steps to address deaths caused by kratom The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion on Feb. Food and Drug Administration said it's overseeing the recall and destruction of a "large volume" of potentially deadly The Food and Drug Administration issued a public health warning about the substance in 2017 and at that time reported 36 deaths due to illicit use of kratom-containing products [9]. Notes from the Field: Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths with Kratom Detected - 27 States, July 2016-December 2017 A recent publication in Frontiers in Psychiatry, Addictive Disorders described the forensic analysis of four polydrug fatalities involving kratom in a Califo Toxicity occurred in a dose-dependent manner, particularly when doses of kratom powder exceeded 8 g. 2019 Jan 3;380 (1):97-98. To accomplish this mission, the DEA employs approximately 10,000 personnel throughout the world – Special Agents, Diversion Investigators, Intelligence Analysts Summary The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is warning people not to use products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), an opioid-like chemical found in the kratom plant that, at high concentrations, can cause significant health problems and may have the potential for dependence or abuse. 4iafst, jxv4qu, mcdqlx, dea1, qnh7lz, rnlmf, 3t08, lqzp, 3dsk, qaw1ci,