Poison Center Calls for Kratom Surge 6,500% Since 2010; New Study Reveals Clinical Severity

Why it matters

A new analysis of poison center data spanning 2010-2023 establishes kratom's emergence as a major public health toxicology concern, with hospitalizations of kratom users climbing dramatically and seizure, liver damage, and cardiac arrhythmia complications becoming clinically significant.

The big picture

The Society for the Study of Addiction and Medical College of Wisconsin published findings showing poison center calls increased from 19 cases in 2010 to 1,242 in 2023. In 2010, zero cases involved severe outcomes; by 2023, 158 cases presented life-threatening effects, significant residual disability, or death. Dr. Ryan Feldman notes that states with regulations report better outcomes than states without regulations. Kratom's status as an unscheduled substance leaves regulation to individual states, creating a patchwork of varying protections.

Key findings

• Poison center calls increased 6,500% over 13 years (19 to 1,242 cases)
• Severe outcome cases jumped from 0 to 158 between 2010 and 2023
• Nearly 1 in 7 single-substance kratom exposures result in hospitalization
• 1 in 16 cases admitted to critical care unit
• Co-ingestion with other drugs increases danger significantly
• Emergent health effects: seizures, irregular heart rhythms, liver damage, breathing problems

What they say

Dr. Ryan Feldman: 'Nearly 1 in 7 cases reported to a poison center with a single-substance kratom exposure were admitted to a hospital, and 1 in 16 were admitted to a critical care unit. When kratom is combined with other drugs, kratom's tendency to interfere with metabolic pathways can make the other drugs more dangerous.'

Bottom line

**Poison center data documents a thirteen-fold escalation in kratom toxicology incidents, with severity outcomes rising from zero to 158 severe cases—establishing kratom as a significant clinical emergency substance.**