Kratom was supposed to be the safe alternative. A leaf from a Southeast Asian tree, brewed into tea for centuries. Something you could buy at a gas station without a prescription, without a warning label, without a second thought.
The numbers from U.S. poison centers tell a different story.
Between 2015 and 2025, kratom-related calls to poison centers rose more than 1,200%. In 2025 alone, centers recorded 3,434 cases. In 2015, that number was 258. A University of Virginia Health analysis of the National Poison Data System tracked the full decade, and what researchers found was not a gradual drift. It was a surge.
The Hospitalizations Tell It Plainly
When kratom was the only substance involved, hospitalizations climbed from 43 to 538 over the decade, a rise of more than 1,150%. When kratom was combined with other substances, including illegal drugs or antidepressants, hospitalizations rose from 40 to 549, nearly 1,300%.
Across the ten years studied, 233 deaths were associated with kratom use. Of those, 184 involved multiple substances.
The data reflects a concerning trend. This trend found in the national data is also occurring in our local clinical practice, with more patients presenting to UVA Health following serious complications associated with kratom products. Chris Holstege, MD, Director, UVA Health Blue Ridge Poison Center
What the Product Has Become
Kratom leaves, traditionally chewed or brewed for pain relief and mood support, work as both a stimulant and a sedative. Some people have turned to kratom to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms, though its effectiveness for that purpose has not been thoroughly evaluated.
What is sold in the United States today is often far removed from the traditional leaf. Pills and extracts with far higher concentrations of active compounds, including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, line shelves without regulatory oversight. Consumers cannot know the exact dose or whether other ingredients are present. Kratom has also been linked to possible liver damage.
The pattern researchers identified follows a distinct shape: a steady rise from 2015 through 2019, a plateau from 2020 to 2024, then a sharp surge in 2025.
Who Is Being Affected
More than 14,400 kratom exposures were reported over the decade. Most cases involved men in their 20s and 30s, yet reports among people aged 40 to 59 increased significantly, indicating the drug's reach is widening across age groups.
In 2025, 60% of cases involving multiple substances resulted in serious medical outcomes. About half required hospitalization.
We are experiencing a marked increase in kratom associated products being sold in the U.S. market. We want the public to be aware that these products contain chemicals of varying concentrations such as mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine that have complex pharmacological actions and can cause drug interactions and adverse consequences in humans. Chris Holstege, MD, Director, UVA Health Blue Ridge Poison Center
Source: University of Virginia Health System. "Kratom cases are exploding across the U.S. and doctors are alarmed." ScienceDaily
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