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He clarified that kratom can be useful to people struggling with substance use getting off other drugs, and that he would like to see increased regulations to ensure leaf-based, pure products are in the market.

Anecdotal experiences with kratom cover all ends of the spectrum, with some saying it saved their life and others blaming it for the deaths of loved ones.

Yet some deaths involving kratom may have occurred when a person consumed one of its derivatives, were on other medications that could have influenced their tolerance, or when kratom was mixed with other drugs.

Still, the rate of fatal kratom overdoses pales in comparison to those lost to opioids or even alcohol.

Eleven deaths between 2011 and 2017 were associated with kratom, according to a 2019 report using poison control center data.