Kratom is number one new substance addiction, say doctors
Kratom is sold as a natural remedy but users and experts warn of high addiction risks. Poison center calls for kratom complications have risen 1,200%. Kansas is moving to criminalize the possession, sale, and purchase of the substance and the compound 7-OH.
What changed
New data shows a massive spike in poison center calls and upcoming criminalization in Kansas.
Live updates
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Kratom Linked to Surge in Poison Center Calls and New Legal Restrictions
confidence 80%Kratom is sold as a natural remedy but users and experts warn of high addiction risks. Poison center calls for kratom complications have risen 1,200%. Kansas is moving to criminalize the possession, sale, and purchase of the substance and the compound 7-OH.
What's confirmed:
- Kratom is available in powder and drink forms at convenience stores, smoke shops, and bars.
- The substance is considered highly addictive and dangerous by users and experts.
Still unconfirmed:
- One former addict described the substance as a miracle drug that cured pain before the effects changed.
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Kratom addiction risks prompt legal and regulatory scrutiny
confidence 85%Kratom is sold as a natural remedy in powder and drink forms at bars, smoke shops, and convenience stores. Experts and users warn the substance is highly addictive and can be dangerous. Florida officials are now targeting specific 7-OH drugs found in these products.
What's confirmed:
- Kratom is available in powder and drink forms at smoke shops and bars.
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the state will target 7-OH drugs in kratom products.
- Experts warn that potent kratom products increase addiction risks.
Still unconfirmed:
- Kratom usage is increasing statewide in Florida.
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Doctors identify kratom as top new substance addiction
confidence 80%Medical professionals in New York report a rise in kratom addiction. The substance is sold in gas stations and convenience stores. Some users take it for energy or pain relief.
What's confirmed:
- Kratom is sold in convenience stores and gas stations.
- Medical professionals in New York report an increase in kratom addiction.
Still unconfirmed:
- Kratom is detected in an increasing number of fatal overdose cases according to the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
- At least eight US states have banned kratom.
- Kratom is referred to as gas-station heroin.
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New York Doctors Warn of Rising Kratom Addiction
confidence 80%Medical professionals in New York report an increase in kratom addiction. The substance is commonly sold in convenience stores and gas stations. The U.S. is starting tests to see if the plant extract can treat opioid disorder.
What's confirmed:
- Kratom is an herbal product sold in gas stations and convenience stores.
- The substance can produce a euphoric effect for users.
Still unconfirmed:
- Doctors in New York are warning about a rising wave of addiction linked to kratom.
- A business in California is accused of violating kratom restrictions.
- The U.S. will begin testing kratom for its potential to treat opioid disorder.
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Kratom Industry Gains Political Support as State Bans Expand
confidence 90%At least eight states have banned the plant-derived product as addiction rates rise. The FDA is moving to ban 7-OH, a potent variant sold at gas stations. Some members of the Trump administration are now allied with the kratom industry.
What's confirmed:
- At least eight states have banned the plant-derived product.
- Kratom is sold in convenience stores and smoke shops.
- Doctors are mentioning kratom more frequently in hospital settings.
- The FDA is moving to ban 7-OH, an opioid-like drug nicknamed gas station heroin.
Still unconfirmed:
- Markwayne Mullin was against 7-OH drugs until he invested in them.
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Kratom addiction surges as bans spread, synthetic risks rise
confidence 97%Doctors confirm kratom is now the top new substance addiction in the U.S., with synthetic variants labeled 'gas-station heroin' due to their deadly potency and easy access. States are accelerating bans, while concentrated products drive a sharp rise in poison center calls, hospitalizations, and deaths. Industry groups clash with regulators over proposed restrictions, and treatment options remain scarce. Public health officials warn of an emerging epidemic tied to unregulated formulations.
What's confirmed:
- Kratom is now identified as the leading new substance addiction by U.S. doctors, surpassing other emerging drugs in clinical reports.
- Synthetic kratom products, including concentrated forms like 7-OH, are being sold in gas stations and are linked to severe overdoses, earning the nickname 'gas-station heroin'.
- Poison center calls related to kratom have jumped over **1,200%** in the past decade, with hospitalizations and deaths rising sharply alongside the shift to stronger, unregulated formulations.
- At least eight states—Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wisconsin—have already banned kratom, while Iowa and Idaho are considering restrictions or outright prohibitions.
- A 2023 National Survey on Drug Use & Health estimated **1.6 million annual kratom users** in the U.S., though awareness remains low, with only **19% of adults** familiar with its risks.
- Industry groups, including the American Kratom Association, oppose bans, arguing that regulation—not prohibition—is needed to address safety concerns, particularly with concentrated products.
- Testimony in state legislatures highlights the dangers of **7-OH**, a potent synthetic derivative, which is linked to a higher risk of addiction and overdose compared to traditional kratom.
- Local governments, such as Salem’s mayor, are pushing for city-level bans to restrict sales before state-level decisions are finalized.
Still unconfirmed:
- A Sevierville woman claims she unknowingly became addicted to a synthetic drug marketed as kratom, describing severe withdrawal symptoms and long-term health effects.
- Some health advocates allege that pharmaceutical companies are lobbying against kratom bans, framing it as a natural alternative to painkillers.
- Unconfirmed reports suggest that kratom-related deaths are underreported due to limited testing in coroners’ offices, obscuring the true scale of the crisis.
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Doctors warn kratom is top new addiction as bans spread, 'gas-station heroin' risks grow
confidence 93%Kratom has been identified as the leading new substance addiction by doctors, with synthetic forms labeled 'gas-station heroin' due to its accessibility and deadly risks. States are accelerating bans, while industry and health advocates clash over regulation. Treatment options remain limited, and public health officials warn of an emerging epidemic tied to concentrated products. The substance’s opioid-like effects and ease of purchase—even in gas stations—heighten concerns.
What's confirmed:
- Doctors in multiple regions report kratom as the number one new substance addiction, surpassing other emerging drugs.
- Synthetic kratom, marketed as 'gas-station heroin,' is linked to dozens of overdose deaths annually in New York alone.
- The substance’s active component, 7-OH, has opioid-like effects and is widely available across the U.S., despite regulatory pushback.
- States including Alabama have banned kratom, yet illegal sales persist through unregulated channels.
- Treatment for kratom use disorder remains underdeveloped, with psychosocial interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy and opioid agonist therapies as primary options.
- Kratom’s concentrated and semi-synthetic forms are increasingly associated with addiction and overdose risks, diverging from its traditional herbal marketing.
- A live tracker shows multiple states advancing legislation to restrict or ban kratom sales as of mid-2026.
Still unconfirmed:
- A 'Kratom Civil War' is unfolding, with industry groups and health advocates publicly clashing over bans, though details of specific alliances remain unclear.
- Health Secretary RFK Jr. is reportedly aiming to ban 7-OH, a key kratom compound, though no official announcement has been confirmed.
- Some recovery specialists claim synthetic kratom variants are now the primary driver of addiction cases, but no standardized data supports this claim across regions.