A new study in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that the number of kratom-related exposure reports received by poison centers increased 1,231% from 258 in 2015 to 3,434 in 2025. The study, citing data from the National Poison Data System, also reported that there were more than 1,000 kratom-related hospitalizations in 2025––either for kratom alone or in combination with other substances––as well as 233 kratom-related deaths during this 11-year period. Kratom, per the study, is “widely available in various forms in the United States”––that’s why it’s known as a “gas station opioid.” These new findings illustrate just how significant a threat to public health this psychoactive substance is becoming.