National Survey: Kratom Use Stable at 0.68% of U.S. Adults; Concentrated Among Those With Depression and Substance Use

Why it matters

Reliable national prevalence data on kratom use has been scarce, making evidence-based policymaking difficult. This analysis of 139,524 U.S. adults provides the most current estimate of who uses kratom and which populations face the highest risk.

The big picture

Kratom use has drawn increasing regulatory attention, but the actual scale and demographics of use in the U.S. have been contested. Using NSDUH data—the gold standard for U.S. drug use estimates—this study gives policymakers and clinicians concrete numbers to guide screening and intervention.

Key findings

• An estimated 0.68% of U.S. adults—approximately 1.7 million people—used kratom in the past year from 2021 through 2023
• Kratom use was more common among males aged 26–49 and among non-Hispanic white or multiracial adults
• Prevalence exceeded 2% among adults reporting serious psychological distress or a major depressive episode
• Among adults misusing prescription pain relievers, kratom prevalence exceeded 5%
• Use rates remained statistically stable across the 2021, 2022, and 2023 survey years

What they say

"Kratom use among adults in the United States was relatively stable between years 2021 and 2023 and concentrated among individuals with reported psychological distress and substance use. Screening for kratom use in high-risk clinical populations may be warranted," the authors concluded.

Bottom line

Kratom use affects an estimated 1.7 million U.S. adults and is strongly concentrated among individuals with mental health conditions and other substance use—identifying exactly where clinical screening should be prioritized.