Published: 07/10/2026 | Author: Terri

Calls to US poison centers involving kratom rose 1,200% between 2015 and 2025, according to the CDC. In Maine, physicians are now seeing more emergency visits tied to the unregulated, opioid-like substance. Even though The Pine Tree State features an abundance of inpatient programs and local Narcotics Anonymous chapters for residents, the kratom trend sits squarely inside the country’s wider struggle with opioid addiction.

The Numbers Behind Kratom

Kratom comes from a tree native to Southeast Asia and is sold as a powder, pill, or liquid, often at gas stations and convenience stores. Dr. Carin King Malley, an emergency physician at Maine Medical Center and a medical toxicologist with the Northern New England Poison Center, relayed that kratom-related calls and emergency room visits in the state have climbed over 50% in recent years, matched by more potent kratom variants.

The number meshes with other reports nationwide. Nationally, the CDC reported the 1,200% jump in poison-center calls over the past decade. Overdose deaths involving kratom are showing up across the country. In Florida, roughly 580 people died of kratom-related overdoses over 10 years. Many deaths also involved other drugs, including opioids, but in dozens of cases kratom was the only substance detected.

An Unregulated Supply Problem

Kratom isn’t regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration and is sold under many brand names. That includes products marketed as containing synthetically derived 7-OH, a far more powerful form akin to opioids. Malley reported that officials find it nearly impossible to know how concentrated any given product is because labeling requirements are minimal and what is on the package may not match what is inside.

Enforcement has struggled to keep pace. Malley noted that when some states have tried to ban one form of kratom, manufacturers simply change the formula and put the product back on shelves. For now, she observed, the best protection people have is accurate information about what they’re buying and knowing the signs of addiction.

Kratom and Its Opioid-Like Risks

Kratom is often marketed as an energy booster, mood lifter, pain reliever, and remedy for opioid withdrawal, though the Mayo Clinic calls it unsafe and ineffective. At higher doses its active compounds act on opioid receptors, which is part of why it can ease withdrawal for some people despite its opioid-like dangers. Malley warned that kratom can cause dependence, acute toxicity in large amounts, and withdrawal of its own. Purchasing it without a prescription doesn’t make it safe.

Harm Reduction & Treatment

Anyone using kratom or opioids can lower their risk by not using alone and by keeping naloxone on hand. Naloxone, sold as Narcan, can reverse an opioid overdose and is readily available without a prescription at most pharmacies. Because kratom-related overdoses often involve opioids, these steps apply here as well.

For people ready to stop, evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder includes medication such as buprenorphine or methadone, combined with counseling. 

Peer support can help as well. NA meetings offer free and confidential fellowship in online and in-person formats. Attending your first NA meeting can open a door to lifelong healing and even friendships with colleagues who don’t judge.

Starting Out with NA

The Kratom crisis may be new, but NA has long stood ready to combat any form of narcotics dependency. If you live with opioid addiction or worry about kratom use, help is available and NA doesn’t require commitment to any single program. 

Our browsable directory can help you find NA meetings and opioid treatment options near you. For free and confidential referrals any time, dial 800-934-1582(Sponsored) and chat with a specialist.