Oklahoma Medical Examiner: Kratom Present in 58 Fatal Overdoses Since 2025

Why it matters

Oklahoma public health data from the state medical examiner is among the most detailed compiled by any state — and it shows a significant year-over-year increase in kratom-linked deaths, with implications for how other states and federal regulators quantify the drug's risk.

The big picture

Oklahoma passed kratom consumer protection legislation in 2025 that restricts sales to minors, but stops short of a ban. Between January 2025 and May 2026, the state's chief medical examiner found kratom alkaloids or analogous compounds present in 58 fatal overdoses. Many of those cases involved other substances as well, raising methodological questions about attribution. At the same time, advocates for kratom note that the medical examiner classification often does not distinguish between natural leaf kratom and concentrated 7-OH products — a distinction now codified in the July 2026 DEA scheduling action.

Key findings

• The Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found kratom alkaloids in 58 fatal overdose cases between January 2025 and May 2026
• Many cases involved polydrug use, meaning kratom was present alongside other substances
• Kevin Wynes, a 31-year-old Yukon resident, died December 1, 2025 after experiencing seizures; his family attributes his death to escalating kratom use over five years
• Oklahoma law limits kratom potency and bans sales to minors, but does not prohibit adult access to the supplement
• A previous DEA attempt to classify kratom's main compound as Schedule I was withdrawn after pushback from users, industry, and members of Congress

What they say

Juliana Shriver, mother of Kevin Wynes: "Kratom is legal and widely sold, often marketed as a natural supplement and a safer alternative to alcohol or prescription medication. I don't think people that are using it, I don't think that they're told the truth when they're purchasing it."

Bottom line

Oklahoma's medical examiner has tied kratom-related compounds to 58 fatal overdoses in just 17 months — the clearest state-level evidence base to date, though the data does not distinguish between natural kratom leaf and concentrated 7-OH products.