Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) Use in Adolescents
Location
LSUHSC-NO
Publication Date
April 2026
Start Date
9-4-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
9-4-2026 2:00 PM
Description
Background: Kratom or Mitragyna speciosa is a psychoactive drug with active ingredients including 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine, and it currently remains uncontrolled and unregulated in several states resulting in fewer barriers that limit adolescent access. While adult kratom use has been increasingly described, adolescent specific data on prevalence, substance use comorbidity, and clinically relevant harms remains limited. This scoping review examines kratom use patterns and clinical implications among the adolescent population.
Methods: A review of published literature dating from 2020 to February 2026 was conducted via electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus). Key words employed during search inquiries included kratom, Mitragyna speciosa, adolescent, youth, mental health, substance use disorder youth, depression, and anxiety with database-specific vocabulary and age filters applied.
Results: Of the initial 92 articles, literature that did not specifically outline an adolescent population (12-17 years old), repeated articles, and articles that did not include data relevant to use of kratom were excluded. Nine articles were included: four nationally representative survey analyses and five adolescent case reports/series.
Conclusions: In analyses of NSDUH 2019 data, kratom use among U.S. adolescents (12-17) was low with a lifetime prevalence of 0.44% and past-12 month use 0.27%. Adolescents are less likely to report kratom use than adults. The past-12 month use of kratom was associated with other substance use such as cigarettes and cannabis with a lower prevalence than prescription pain relievers. Case reports suggest that adolescents with kratom exposure are associated with QT prolongation. Clinicians should consider kratom in adolescent evaluations of self-harm. Case series evidence indicates adolescents can develop kratom dependence and withdrawal associated with worse school performance. Treatment approaches include methadone for kratom dependence. These case findings support screening for kratom in adolescents with substance use or receiving mental health services and careful cardiac monitoring when exposure is suspected.
Recommended Citation
Barlow, M. and Bierma, S., "Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) Use in Adolescents" (2026). Dept. of Psychiatry Research Symposium. 15.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/psych_rd/2026/posters/15
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) Use in Adolescents
LSUHSC-NO
Background: Kratom or Mitragyna speciosa is a psychoactive drug with active ingredients including 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine, and it currently remains uncontrolled and unregulated in several states resulting in fewer barriers that limit adolescent access. While adult kratom use has been increasingly described, adolescent specific data on prevalence, substance use comorbidity, and clinically relevant harms remains limited. This scoping review examines kratom use patterns and clinical implications among the adolescent population.
Methods: A review of published literature dating from 2020 to February 2026 was conducted via electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus). Key words employed during search inquiries included kratom, Mitragyna speciosa, adolescent, youth, mental health, substance use disorder youth, depression, and anxiety with database-specific vocabulary and age filters applied.
Results: Of the initial 92 articles, literature that did not specifically outline an adolescent population (12-17 years old), repeated articles, and articles that did not include data relevant to use of kratom were excluded. Nine articles were included: four nationally representative survey analyses and five adolescent case reports/series.
Conclusions: In analyses of NSDUH 2019 data, kratom use among U.S. adolescents (12-17) was low with a lifetime prevalence of 0.44% and past-12 month use 0.27%. Adolescents are less likely to report kratom use than adults. The past-12 month use of kratom was associated with other substance use such as cigarettes and cannabis with a lower prevalence than prescription pain relievers. Case reports suggest that adolescents with kratom exposure are associated with QT prolongation. Clinicians should consider kratom in adolescent evaluations of self-harm. Case series evidence indicates adolescents can develop kratom dependence and withdrawal associated with worse school performance. Treatment approaches include methadone for kratom dependence. These case findings support screening for kratom in adolescents with substance use or receiving mental health services and careful cardiac monitoring when exposure is suspected.