Near-death kratom case in Oklahoma prompts OBN warning

TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma state officials are warning retailers about kratom products that exceed the state's legal potency limits, as one man who says he nearly died after using the substance is speaking out to warn others.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Oklahoma State Department of Health issued the warning to stores selling kratom products that surpass the state's established potency restrictions. The OBN director says companies could be held liable if selling such a product leads to an overdose.

Kratom is a plant-based substance often sold as a supplement and marketed for pain relief, energy, or mood enhancement. Although kratom is legal in Oklahoma under certain restrictions, health officials say some products can present serious health risks. State officials also point to data from the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office showing kratom has been linked to more than 50 deaths in the state since January 2025.

For Caleb, those warnings hit close to home. He reached out to 2 News to share what happened after using kratom.

"I overdosed back in April. Um, and it completely shut my respiratory system down. I lost control of my bowels. The last thing I remember saying was that I was dying," Caleb said. "I was looking up at my wife and she was calling 911. That's the last thing I remember was saying I was dying, and the next thing I know, I wake up three days later in the hospital."

As state officials step up enforcement, Caleb says he wants others to hear his story and understand the risks he believes can come with kratom use.

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