Addiction clinics see surge in kratom cases

Addiction clinics around the country are seeing a growing number of cases related to kratom.

The numbers:

At the telehealth addiction clinic Boulder Care, for example, people who report using kratom products constituted 3% of all new patients in September 2025, jumping to 8% by July 2026 and 14% in August. Most of these patients report using newer, more potent 7-OH products. Last month, nearly a third of new patients starting buprenorphine reported using kratom/7-OH.
A medical director for two inpatient clinics run by the Recovery Centers of America in Massachusetts said that last year, there was typically no more than a single patient per week being admitted for kratom use, with mild withdrawal requiring “comfort meds” only. But now, the clinics see 10-20 people per week, either for kratom/ 7-OH alone or with other substances, with withdrawal seeming more severe.

The broader context:

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposed an effective ban on 7-OH above a certain threshold. That law has yet to be finalized, but several states have enacted similar restrictions, which could be leading people to experience withdrawal.
With limited research available, clinicians are on the frontlines treating patients going through withdrawal. Early case reports show that buprenorphine can help manage kratom use disorders.
Existing research has found kratom withdrawal to be mild, but users, clinicians, and advocates say the experience can be as taxing as opioid withdrawal.
Why it’s important: Kratom/7-OH use is a growing problem, but research and policy lag behind, creating difficulties for treatment and ensuring policies are not creating more harm.

Robyn Oster

Director of Policy

Published

September 2026

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