CDC surveillance, toxicology reports, and overdose deaths with mitragynine detected. The industry calls this “misleading.” We call it a body count they refuse to acknowledge.
Why is antikratom.org a good place to turn to for information on the dangers of using kratom?
Mortality surveillance systems distinguish between substances detected and those involved in the cause of death. The industry seizes on this distinction to claim kratom is rarely the sole cause. But detection alone is damning: why is a psychoactive opioid agonist turning up in autopsy toxicology at all?
The industry's mantra: “It's always something else.” Tell that to the families counting empty chairs.
The State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) compiles detailed information on overdose deaths. These are not estimates — they are real people, counted by medical examiners. The industry dismisses them as “polydrug cases” while ignoring that kratom was present.
| Year | Jurisdictions Reporting | Deaths with Mitragynine Detected |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 32 | 866 |
| 2021 | 33 | 1,016 |
| 2022 | 34 | 1,017 |
| 2023 | 38 | 1,151 |
| 2024 | 43 | 995 |
2024 note: The apparent decline from 2023 to 2024 occurs despite expanded participation (43 jurisdictions). The industry will cherry-pick this number — but the cumulative toll is thousands dead with kratom in their systems.
The industry says: “Most kratom-positive deaths involved multiple substances.” They intend this as a shield — as if the presence of other drugs makes kratom blameless.
Here's what they won't say: Polysubstance use is the rule, not the exception, in overdose deaths. Fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol are frequently present together — and each carries warnings, regulations, or public health campaigns. Kratom has none. It's sold next to energy drinks, with no label warning that mixing it with fentanyl could be lethal.
The data don't excuse kratom — they condemn a regulatory vacuum that lets an unlabeled psychoactive substance flood communities.
Industry lie: “These deaths always involve other drugs.”
Truth: That's an admission that kratom is being used alongside deadly substances with no warnings, no oversight, and no consumer protection.
Industry lie: “The CDC data is misinterpreted.”
Truth: The CDC data is clear: kratom is present in overdose deaths. The only misinterpretation is the industry's claim that this doesn't matter.
Industry lie: “Kratom is safer than street drugs.”
Truth: It's sold like candy and acts like an opioid. That's not safety — that's a disaster waiting to happen.