Kratom is Killing People: Here’s What You Need to Know The CDC has reinforced warnings about the herbal supplement kratom after dozens of deaths over the past few years have concerned healthcare officials. The herbal supplement kratom wholesale is derived from the Southeast Asian kratom tree. People can purchase it over the counter throughout the US in powder-capsule form, as a tea and as a mixed capsule with caffeine. It is a popular drug for its pain relief properties and is often sold as a supposedly safer and “natural” alternative to opioids. While this ”atypical opioid” certainly does have pain relief applications, it also carries substantial risks. In a report published Friday, April 12, the Centers for Disease Control updates figures on kratom-linked fatalities in the United States for the years 2016 to 2017, putting the number of overdose deaths at 91. Previous figures indicated around 44 deaths since 2011, so this is a significant uptick. Out of some 27,338 overdose cases, 152 people tested positive for kratom—even when it was not the direct cause of death. Health experts say that even where kratom is not the actual cause of death it may still be a contributing factor because, when taken with other medications, it can lead to overdoses which are more complex to treat.