CDC & Kratom (Mitragynine)
A parent-friendly page describing the CDC’s role regarding kratom, the SUDORS overdose-death data for mitragynine, and key CDC publications you can download.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks and communicates health risks from emerging substances, including plant-derived products such as kratom (mitragynine). CDC’s role includes:
- Publishing surveillance findings (e.g., poison-center and overdose-death analyses) to identify signals and trends.
- Maintaining national systems (like SUDORS) to collect standardized information from death investigations and toxicology.
- Issuing public health communications and technical guidance for clinicians, medical examiners/coroners, and responders.
SUDORS compiles detailed information on **unintentional and undetermined-intent overdose deaths** from participating jurisdictions. Abstractors collect data from death certificates, medical examiner/coroner reports, and post-mortem toxicology. SUDORS is designed for **signal detection** and prevention planning; it does **not** by itself establish causation or national incidence.
Kratom/Mitragynine Detected in Overdose Deaths (2020–2023)
How to access the SUDORS dashboard
2) In the drug selector, choose Kratom/mitragynine and set Metric to Count.
3) Switch the year (e.g., 2020–2023). The **Overall** total above the map is the number of deaths with mitragynine detected in participating jurisdictions that year.
4) Participation varies by year; totals rise in part because more jurisdictions submit data (32 → 38 from 2020 to 2023).
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Notes from the Field — Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) Exposures Reported to U.S. Poison Centers, 2010–2015
Published in MMWR, this was CDC’s first national review of kratom toxicity data from the National Poison Data System. The report identified 660 exposures over six years, with the majority of calls from adults aged 20–40. Outcomes were significant: 42% moderate, 7% major, and 1 reported death (with co-exposures). Most exposures were intentional, involving ingestion of powder or capsules marketed as “herbal supplements.” The CDC concluded that kratom acts as an opioid-like agent capable of producing dependence, withdrawal, and toxicity similar to other opioids.
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Occupational Exposure to Synthetic Cannabinoids and Mitragynine (Nevada, 2014)
This CDC/NIOSH field investigation examined a law enforcement team’s exposure during a raid of an illicit manufacturing site. Although air samples were negative for contamination, urine testing confirmed mitragynine exposure in several agents after the event, suggesting potential dermal or inadvertent ingestion pathways. CDC recommended enhanced PPE use, on-scene decontamination, and ventilation standards for any agency encountering unregulated psychoactive plant products. This was the first documented occupational exposure to mitragynine and highlighted gaps in training and protective guidance for first responders.
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Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths with Kratom Detected — 27 States, July 2016–December 2017
Using data from CDC’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS), this analysis identified 152 overdose deaths in which kratom was detected postmortem across 27 states. Medical examiners listed kratom as a direct cause in 91 deaths (≈60%), but nearly all involved polysubstance exposure—most commonly fentanyl or fentanyl analogs (65%). Toxicology testing revealed both mitragynine and its potent metabolite 7-hydroxymitragynine. The CDC concluded that kratom can contribute to fatal overdose when combined with other depressants or opioids and recommended continued monitoring via SUDORS to track emerging herbal-opioid patterns.
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These official CDC / MMWR publications provide the foundational toxicologic and epidemiologic evidence linking kratom to adverse health outcomes, occupational risk, and fatal overdoses. Each file opens in a new browser tab.