Prevalence and characteristics of self-reported kratom use in a representative US general population sample

Background: Reports of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) use, a medicinal plant widely found in Southeast Asia, are on the rise in the US. However, the prevalence and characteristics of individuals who use kratom in the US is unknown.

Objective: To estimate lifetime prevalence of, and descriptive characteristics associated with, kratom use in a sample of the US general population.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered online by Qualtrics® research panel aggregator. Utilizing quota-based sampling, data was collected from a US sample aged 18-59 years, representative to age, geographic region, ethnicity, income, and education level. Data was collected regarding respondent demographic/clinical characteristics, as well as frequency/patterns of kratom and other drug use.

Results: Among 1,842 respondents, 112 (6.1%) reported use of kratom within their lifetime. Respondents who used kratom were largely between 25-44 years old, male, employed, and at higher educational levels. A total of 24.1% to 47.3% of respondents indicated self-reported diagnoses for addiction, and 42.9% reported having previously received treatment for addiction. A total of 71.4% to 92% of respondents who used kratom also reported use of other drugs, including nicotine, cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, and heroin.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this analysis provides the first estimate of kratom use in the general US population, providing insight on demographic/clinical characteristics of individuals reporting use.

Keywords: mitragyna speciosa; Kratom; opioid; substance misuse; substance use.