Kratom May Kill You Or Cause Serious Side Effects

You may see Kratom at your local convenience store or gas station, but just because something is for sale doesn’t mean you should buy it. This plant extract is marketed as a supplement to give you more energy and relieve pain. What you don’t learn in the advertising is how addictive it can be or how it could kill you.

If you are harmed by Kratom or a family member killed because of its use, you may have a right to compensation for what you’ve been through. Those who sell dangerous products to the public can be held accountable for their actions through the court system.

What is Kratom?

Kratom (or Mitragyna speciosa) is a tree related to coffee trees, according to the Cleveland Clinic, native to Africa and Southeast Asia.

It’s often sold as a supplement in vitamin stores, being marketed to boost energy, improve moods, and relieve pain. According to the Mayo Clinic Kratom products are even marketed to help people going through opioid withdrawals.

But despite the marketing of this herbal extract, kratom has serious side effects that can be fatal.

How is Kratom Used?

Traditionally, people have used it in several ways, including:

• Chewing its leaves or making tea from it
• It’s supposed to improve productivity and fight tiredness
• For medicinal purposes, including as a substitute for opium
• During religious ceremonies

Low doses may make you feel alert. High doses may cause the following:

• Pleasure
• Sedation
• Decreased pain

Kratom produces these effects because two chemical compounds in it interact with parts of your brain that interact with opioids, like morphine and heroin. People might think kratom is “natural,” and because it’s legal to buy in most states, including Kentucky, it must be safe. That’s not the case.

You may find kratom powders, pills, capsules, or drinks. Kratom bars have started opening, offering kratom drinks instead of cocktails. Kentucky law prohibits kratom sales to those younger than 21 and requires products to be labeled with information about safe and effective use.

Is Kratom Dangerous?

Yes, Kratom and Kratom-products are considered dangerous. Kratom’s potential for severe and sometimes deadly side effects outweigh its potential benefits, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

A Tampa Bay Times investigation found that more than 580 kratom users in Florida died from overdoses in the past decade. Most were caused by a mix of kratom and at least one other substance. Forty-six overdosed just on kratom.

Another study from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found kratom caused at least 91 deaths over a 17-month period in 32 states and the District of Columbia, according to CNN.

Researchers reviewed reports of more than 27,000 accidental drug overdoses and found that 152 had kratom and other substances in their systems. The CDC estimates that kratom caused the death of 91.

Common Kratom Side Effects

There are several known and common side effects associated with Kratom. Some are milder while others are severe.

Kratom’s most common side effects include:

• Aggression
• Altered mental status
• Anxiety and irritability
• Constipation
• Delusions and hallucinations
• Drowsiness and sedation
• Dry mouth
• Frequent urination
• Itchy skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Numb tongue

More severe side effects include the following:

• Cardiac problems, including heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythms, and elevated blood pressure
• Difficulty breathing
• Encephalopathy (brain disease)
• Hallucinations
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• Insomnia or lack of sleep
• Liver damage and failure
• Rhabdomyolysis, or the degradation of muscles which releases a protein into the blood that damages the kidneys
• Seizures

Long-term kratom users may experience tremors and psychosis. They may be chronic users because they’re addicted to it. Stopping its use can cause the following symptoms:

• Muscle spasms and rigidity
• Pain
• Rhabdomyolysis
• Seizures
• Tremors

Is Kratom Illegal?

The legal status of Kratom is complicated. At the federal level, Kratom is not classified as an illegal controlled substance, which is why you may see it sold at gas stations, smoke shops, or online.

However, just because it’s not illegal, it doesn’t make Kratom safe. Some states have banned Kratom sales entirely, while others regulate its sale by requiring warning labels or setting edge restrictions.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Kratom can’t be legally marketed in the US as a drug, dietary substance, or food additive.

The FDA also says that Kratom’s active compounds (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine) have the same effect on the brain as opioids. This gives them the potential for creating additions, overdoses, and deaths.

On July 29, 2025, the FDA announced that it’s recommending 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) to be classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. This would not make Kratom or Kratom leaf products illegal, but it’s taking steps to target 7-OH, which is a concentrated byproduct from the Kratom leaf.

Who is Responsible for Kratom Injuries and Deaths

Under product liability law, anyone involved in making, distributing, or selling an unreasonably dangerous product can be sued to seek compensation for the harm suffered. Depending on the party’s actions and intent, punitive damages may be awarded to punish them and discourage others from taking the same actions again.

The Tampa Bay Times found that those making money from kratom are not honest and upfront about its dangers and selling it in a way that makes injuries and deaths practically inevitable:

• At least 20% of those who overdosed only on kratom used products that were more concentrated than the traditional, fresh-leaf form.
• 90% of those who died had another substance in their system that could be dangerous when mixed with kratom. They include common depression and anxiety medications
• Kratom sellers and their lobbyists claim the product can safely treat opioid addiction, but those with a documented drug use history accounted for most of Florida’s kratom-only overdoses

Courts can hold those making money from Kratom accountable for their actions and the harm they cause and take away at least some of the profits they’ve made. That can happen after injured parties and family members of those who died of kratom file lawsuits.

Schedule A Free Consultation — Contact Us Today

If you have an injury or lost a family member as a result of kratom use or another dangerous or defective product, you may have a valid compensation claim.

Call us at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation with a Satterley & Kelley PLLC lawyer.