Guardian Investigation: Kratom Poisonings Soar 1,200%, But Experts Say 7-OH Is the Real Culprit — Not the Leaf

Why it matters

The CDC reported a 1,200% surge in kratom-related poisonings over the last decade, but leading pharmacologists warn that lumping natural kratom leaf with synthetic 7-OH creates a misleading picture — and that blanket bans could strip pain patients of a substance they use as a safer opioid alternative.

The big picture

Since synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products entered the market around 2024 — marketed as kratom or a kratom superior — poison center calls have spiked sharply. However, research distinguishes the two: natural kratom has passed multiple human safety trials without serious adverse events, while 7-OH carries classical opioid risks including respiratory depression and severe withdrawal. Many state legislatures have proposed banning all kratom products without making this distinction.

Key findings

• CDC report found kratom-related poisonings rose 1,200% over the past decade with a sharp surge in 2025
• Pharmacologists including experts from Johns Hopkins, University of Florida, and Midwestern University attribute the recent surge to synthetic 7-OH products, not natural kratom leaf
• Johns Hopkins psychiatry professor Austin Zamarripa called the natural-vs-synthetic distinction 'arguably the most important scientific distinction right now'
• 7-OH carries opioid overdose risk including respiratory depression; natural kratom does not produce this effect at standard doses
• About half of surveyed kratom users struggle with chronic pain; 40% are in addiction recovery — populations most at risk from blanket bans

What they say

University of Florida pharmacologist Christopher McCurdy noted that 7-OH has been 'marketed as kratom or as a superior kratom alkaloid' since it first appeared in energy drinks and other products around 2024, causing calls to poison control to conflate the two products.

Bottom line

Leading pharmacologists are urging lawmakers not to conflate natural kratom with synthetic 7-OH — arguing that blanket bans harm pain and recovery patients while the poison center data actually reflects the dangers of a very different synthetic product.