After taking kratom, someone may become far more drowsy, dizzy, or sick than expected. These changes can be warning signs of a kratom overdose and may worsen without prompt attention.
Severe cases can involve seizures or breathing problems. Other kratom overdose symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and unusual sleepiness.
Kratom comes from a tree native to Southeast Asia. Its compounds interact with opioid receptors and can cause stimulant-like or sedative effects. This article covers overdose signs, emergency steps, risk factors, and treatment options in New Jersey.
Kratom Overdose Symptoms From Mild to Severe
Kratom overdose symptoms can range from digestive problems to serious neurological effects. Severity can depend on the product, amount used, and other substances involved.
Mild to Moderate Kratom Overdose Symptoms
Mild to moderate symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, sweating, and drowsiness. Other possible effects include vomiting, constipation, itching, and increased blood pressure.
Common signs and symptoms may include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness or unusual drowsiness
- Sweating or itching
- Constipation
- Jitteriness or agitation
- Increased heart rate or blood pressure
- Confusion or unusual behavior
These effects can occur after taking kratom products in higher amounts. Poison Control also reports more serious effects with higher doses or overdose.
Severe Kratom Overdose And Emergency Symptoms
Severe symptoms of kratom overdose can involve seizures, coma, abnormal heartbeat, or breathing problems. Kratom toxicity may also involve serious effects affecting multiple body systems.
Call 911 immediately if someone develops:
- Slowed breathing or difficulty breathing
- Severe confusion or loss of consciousness
- A seizure
- Extreme difficulty staying awake
- An abnormal or very weak response
- Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
Do not assume these symptoms will resolve without medical help. Severe symptoms require immediate emergency evaluation and support.
CDC recorded 5,513 multiple-substance kratom exposures from 2015 to 2025. The report also linked the 2025 surge to the emergence of high-potency products, including 7-OH, and found that multiple-substance exposures led to more serious outcomes.
Emergency Steps For A Suspected Kratom Overdose
Call 911 immediately if severe overdose symptoms are present.
If an overdose on kratom is suspected:
- Call 911 for trouble breathing, seizures, unconsciousness, or severe confusion.
- Stay with the person and monitor their breathing and responsiveness.
- Keep them away from additional substances unless professionals direct otherwise.
- Tell emergency responders what was taken, including other substances.
- Keep the product package nearby so responders can identify its contents.
- If the person is not breathing, give naloxone if available and follow emergency instructions.
- Place someone having a seizure on their side when it is safe to do so.
Do not induce vomiting or give food or drinks to an unconscious person. Do not leave someone alone to sleep after suspected overdose symptoms appear.
Factors That Can Increase Kratom Toxicity Risk
Kratom toxicity risk can increase with concentrated products, increased doses of kratom, and multiple substances. The amount taken alone does not reliably predict individual overdose risk.
Risk may increase with:
- Concentrated kratom extracts or enhanced products
- Higher doses than intended
- Unknown product strength or ingredients
- Mixing kratom with alcohol
- Combining kratom with benzodiazepines
- Combining kratom with opioids
- Combining kratom with stimulants
- Taking several substances at once
Product concentration can vary between kratom products. Poison Control notes that these products are not FDA-regulated, making their contents difficult to verify.
Recent CDC surveillance provides another important insight: among reported deaths associated with kratom from 2015 through 2025, 79% involved multiple substances. Opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants, and ethanol were among reported co-exposures.
This does not mean kratom alone cannot cause serious effects. It means combining substances creates an especially important risk of kratom overdose.
New Jersey Emergency And Poison-Exposure Resources
New Jersey residents can call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. The service provides free, confidential guidance for poisoning and exposure concerns.
Call 911 instead when someone is unconscious, not breathing, having a seizure, or severely distressed. Poison Control can help when symptoms are concerning but do not appear immediately life-threatening.
Current New Jersey law also requires careful attention to product type. Natural kratom remains distinct from certain synthetic kratom-related compounds recently placed under Schedule I controls.
New Jersey also has proposed legislation addressing kratom regulation. Those proposals should not be confused with enacted statewide bans on natural kratom.
Treatment Options For Kratom Dependence In New Jersey
Treatment for kratom withdrawal can address cravings and substance use patterns. A qualified addiction treatment center can assess the person’s kratom use and determine appropriate support.
Relevance Recovery Center offers several levels of care based on individual treatment needs. Treatment options may include:
- Detoxification: Medical support can help manage withdrawal symptoms safely during detoxification, when clinically appropriate.
- Inpatient treatment: People who need around-the-clock support can receive structured care through inpatient treatment in a supportive setting.
- Partial care: Those needing intensive support can receive structured therapy through partial care while maintaining more flexibility.
- Intensive outpatient treatment: Regular therapy and recovery support can be provided through intensive outpatient treatment while allowing daily responsibilities to continue.
- Outpatient treatment: Continued therapy and recovery support can be available through outpatient treatment with a more flexible schedule.
Relevance Recovery Center can also provide support for co-occurring mental health concerns through our dual-diagnosis services. Treatment may include approaches such as CBT and DBT to help address triggers, coping skills, and patterns linked to substance use.
Getting Professional Help For Kratom Dependence
Professional support can help when kratom use becomes difficult to control. Treatment can also help when dependence continues despite physical, emotional, or daily-life consequences.
If kratom addiction is affecting daily life, professional assessment can provide direction. Relevance Recovery Center provides substance use treatment in New Jersey for people seeking recovery support.
Seeking help does not require waiting for another overdose. Earlier support may help address dependence before serious complications develop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is kratom legal in New Jersey?
Natural kratom is currently not banned under New Jersey law. It is also not federally controlled, but the FDA has not approved kratom for medical use.
How long does kratom intoxication last?
Effects can last for a long or short time depending on the product, dose, and individual factors. Concentrated products or mixing substances can also make their effects harder to predict.
What are the symptoms of acute kratom intoxication?
Symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, sweating, vomiting, agitation, and confusion. Severe cases can involve seizures, coma, abnormal heartbeat, or breathing problems.
What are the early signs of an overdose?
Early signs may include unusual drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, or confusion. Symptoms that worsen quickly require prompt medical attention.
Is it safe to sleep after an overdose?
No, a suspected overdose should not simply be slept off. Call 911 for severe symptoms and monitor the person until help arrives.
