DEA St. Louis Division: Kratom and 7-OH Poisonings Surge Dramatically in Missouri

Why it matters

The DEA's regional bulletin confirms the national kratom poisoning trend is acutely manifesting in Missouri, with 2026 on track to surpass the 2025 record. The report details how commercial 7-OH products are far more potent than what occurs naturally in the kratom plant.

The big picture

America's Poison Centers documented 14,449 kratom-related exposures over the decade from 2015 to 2025 — a 1,200% increase. Missouri fits this pattern, with the Missouri Poison Center projecting 2026 will break the state's 2025 record of 75 exposures. The DEA bulletin comes just 26 days after the agency filed notices of intent to temporarily schedule high-concentration 7-OH products as Schedule I controlled substances.

Key findings

• Missouri Poison Center projects 2026 kratom exposures will exceed the 2025 record high of 75 incidents in the state
• Nationally, 3,434 kratom exposures were reported in 2025 — a 1,200% increase from 258 in 2015
• Commercial 7-OH products can be up to 13 times stronger than morphine
• Naturally occurring 7-OH in dried kratom leaf is typically less than 0.02% of dry weight
• Missouri's Attorney General introduced legislation in March 2026 to remove 7-OH-containing products from retail shelves

What they say

The DEA St. Louis Division states that "modern 7-OH products are often semisynthetic, laboratory-created concentrations that are significantly more potent and dangerous, often marketed misleadingly as natural kratom."

Bottom line

Missouri is on track to set a new annual record for kratom-related poisonings in 2026, driven largely by concentrated 7-OH products up to 13 times stronger than morphine.