Commonwealth data cited: multiple kratom-linked deaths in recent years
The public health commissioner told Springfield officials the Commonwealth has recorded kratom-attributed deaths across recent years, citing 8 in 2026 so far and higher counts in prior years; officials said the figures informed the governor's decision to ban kratom.
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At a Springfield briefing, the public health commissioner presented Commonwealth toxicology counts the state attributed to kratom and said the numbers influenced the governor's decision to list kratom as a Schedule I drug. "In 2026, so far, they are reporting 8 deaths across the Commonwealth for kratom," the commissioner said; she also recited prior-year counts the Commonwealth reported.
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