Calls to U.S. poison-control centers and hospitalizations involving kratom, a widely available herbal substance, each rose more than 1,000 percent over the past decade, new research reveals.
The findings, released by the University of Virginia Health System on March 26, notes a record-high 3,434 kratom-related reports to poison centers last year—up from 258 in 2015.
Researchers attribute this “marked jump” to kratom’s growing availability—particularly at places such as gas stations and vape shops—and “the increasing potency of new formulations.”
The report comes at a time when concerns about kratom are intensifying.
Several states and two federal agencies are considering how to address the substance; at least 30 states have enacted regulations or bans….