Kratom caused more overdose deaths than previously reported

More people have overdosed on the herbal supplement kratom than previously reported, according to the CDC. Between July 2016 and December 2017, kratom — which people use to treat pain and and to wean off opioids — was the cause of 91 deaths across 27 states, up from 44 recorded deaths from the substance in 2017. Most who died also had other drugs in their system, but seven seemed to have only used kratom. More than 1,800 calls were made between 2011 and 2017 to the national poison center reporting database over concerns about kratom exposure, the report said. Although HHS has recommended that kratom be classified the same way as heroin or LSD and the FDA has called kratom an opioid, the drug is not scheduled as a controlled substance.