Annenberg survey finds two-thirds of adults unfamiliar with kratom

Why it matters

A national survey documents limited public familiarity with kratom and widespread uncertainty about its safety. Those knowledge gaps can inform public-health communication, but the poll does not measure clinical risk.

The big picture

Annenberg’s primary topline report is dated October 21 and presents responses collected August 4–17, 2026. SSRS surveyed 1,904 U.S. adults by web and telephone using a probability panel, then weighted the results to the adult population. Questions about use and regulation were asked only of selected respondents, so their percentages cannot be treated as national prevalence or population-wide policy preferences.

Key findings

• Among all 1,904 respondents, 66% said they were not at all familiar with kratom capsules, tonics, beverages or pressed tablets; 17% were somewhat or very familiar.
• On whether kratom poses a serious public-safety hazard, 66% were unsure, 18% agreed and 5% disagreed; these are opinions rather than measured health outcomes.
• Only 677 respondents with at least some familiarity were asked whether they had ever used kratom; 10% of that subgroup said yes, not 10% of all U.S. adults.
• Among the 360 respondents with some familiarity with the natural-versus-synthetic distinction, 44% favored increased regulation of synthetic kratom, 21% decreased regulation and 35% no change.
• The report gives a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points for the full survey; smaller subgroup estimates have additional uncertainty.

What they say

The report specifies that the use question was asked only of respondents with some familiarity with kratom, while the regulation question required some familiarity with the natural-versus-synthetic distinction.

Bottom line

This poll measures public awareness and opinions about kratom; its conditional use questions do not establish national use prevalence or product safety.