FOI reference: FOI-2026-3726
You asked
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am writing to request statistical data held by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) regarding registered deaths in England and Wales where kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) or its primary active compounds (mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine) were mentioned on the death certificate.
Please provide data covering the 15-year period from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2025 (or the most recent 15-year dataset available):
The total number of death registrations per year where kratom, Mitragyna speciosa, 7-hydroxymitragynine or mitragynine was mentioned on the death certificate.
A breakdown showing whether the substance was listed as the primary underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor.
Where small-number suppression rules permit without compromising confidentiality: age group and sex breakdown, information on whether other substances (e.g., poly-drug toxicity) were recorded alongside kratom/mitragynine.
If any part of this request is expected to exceed the cost limit set out under Section 12 of the FOI Act, please prioritise the annual totals (item 1) and contact me to advise on how I might narrow the request under your Section 16 duty to provide advice and assistance.
Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to your response within 20 working days.
We said
Thank you for your request.
We produce statistics on deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales.
Figures for deaths involving specific substances are based on analysis of the information recorded on the death certificate, which in drug-poisoning cases is usually supplied by a coroner. Substance-specific figures should therefore be interpreted as deaths in which the named substance was mentioned, rather than deaths necessarily caused solely by that substance.
Historically, mentions of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) and its active compounds have been coded to the substance mitragynine. In addition, one historical mention of 7-hydroxymitragynine was coded to mitragynine, as 7-hydroxymitragynine can be present in the body following the metabolism of mitragynine. The figures provided are therefore based on deaths coded as involving mitragynine, rather than the exact wording recorded on the death certificate.
There have been 10 deaths registered between 2010 and 2024 involving mitragynine in England and Wales.
Data for deaths registered in 2025 are not yet available but will be published in November.
We are unable to identify from these data whether kratom or a named kratom compound was the single substance primarily responsible for a death.
Deaths related to drug poisoning are identified through the underlying cause of death coded using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. However, where more than one substance is mentioned, it is generally not possible to determine which individual substance was primarily responsible for the death.
We have therefore provided figures for deaths involving the requested terms. This means the substance or compound was mentioned in the information available for coding the death.
We also reviewed records where kratom-related substances were identified to determine whether other drugs were involved. Three records did not involve any other drugs. The remaining records were coded as involving additional substances. However, because of the very small numbers involved, a more detailed breakdown cannot be provided.
The number of identified deaths is very small. Providing detailed combinations of age, sex and substances mentioned alongside kratom or mitragynine could increase the risk of identifying an individual. We have therefore not supplied individual-level or detailed demographic breakdowns.