Iowa Confirms 45 Kratom-Related Deaths Since 2024, Warns of Synthetic 7-OH Surge

Why it matters

State-level mortality and poison-control data give a concrete, localized picture of kratom's health toll as federal and state regulators debate how aggressively to restrict the products.

The big picture

Iowa's warning follows the DEA's Aug. 26, 2026 scheduling of three synthetic kratom derivatives and comes amid a broader wave of state actions, including emergency orders in Massachusetts and North Dakota, as officials nationwide grapple with rising concentrated 7-OH product availability.

Key findings

• Iowa has confirmed 45 kratom-associated deaths since 2024 across 23 counties, with 16 of those deaths occurring in just the first seven months of 2026.
• Iowa Poison Control logged 68 kratom exposure calls so far in 2026, a 467% increase over two years.
• State officials are urging retailers to review shelves, warning that packaging claims may not prevent the sale of now-controlled substances.
• Officials recommend naloxone for suspected opioid-type overdoses involving kratom or 7-OH, since it can reverse effects even when the specific substance is unknown.
• Iowa HHS will expand its statewide public health messaging campaign to include kratom and synthetic 7-OH risks.

What they say

"Kratom is not a supplement, it is not a medicine, and it is not safe," Gov. Kim Reynolds said.

Bottom line

**Iowa's kratom-linked overdose deaths more than doubled their multi-year pace within the first seven months of 2026 alone.**