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.**