Thank you for the article about kratom. First, let me say that kratom overdose deaths are almost always complicated by the fact that other drugs are involved. Second, three deaths in five years is much lower than the number of deaths caused by alcohol.
Santa Barbara County has only reported five kratom-related overdose deaths over the past three years. These cases typically involved kratom combined with other substances like alcohol, fentanyl, or prescription opioids. Meanwhile, the County Coroner’s Office reported 121 total overdose deaths involving alcohol and other drugs in the first nine months of 2025. Alcohol is the most common substance in these overdoses.
I use kratom in powdered leaf form to manage the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. There are no pharmaceuticals that do what kratom does for me. It helps me with fatigue that can be debilitating. Without it, I would not be able to function. Millions of Americans use kratom for anxiety an depression without any problems. People have used it to get off of opiate prescriptions.
Having said all this, I am not recommending that anyone should start using kratom. I think that while kratom should not be made illegal, it should be regulated. Concentrated 7-OH has no place in the market. Depriving people like me who benefit and know how to safely use kratom of access would have disastrous results for many people who use it safely.
