From kratom to cold medicine, here’s what health experts and pharmacists want you to know before your next health decision.
CLEVELAND — Kratom use in the U.S. is at an all-time high — and the health consequences are mounting. Meanwhile, inflation has hit the pharmacy aisle hard, making it more important than ever to know what you’re actually buying. And if you or your kids wear headphones daily, Cleveland Clinic has a simple rule that could protect your hearing for years to come.
Kratom use is rising — and children are among those using it
More than five million Americans report using kratom — a plant from Southeast Asia sold as powders, pills, teas and liquid shots — and more than 100,000 of them are children ages 12 to 17, according to a new national study from the University of Michigan and Texas State University published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine.
Kratom use is at an all-time high, even as a growing number of states have moved to restrict or ban it. The share of Americans age 12 and older who report ever using kratom rose from 1.6% in 2021 to 1.9% in 2024. Adults ages 21 to 34 report the highest use — about 3.4% say they have used it at least once.
Researchers find that most people who currently use or have used kratom also have a substance use disorder, report cannabis use and many experience serious psychological distress or major depression. The study does not prove kratom causes these conditions — because the data captures only a snapshot in time, researchers cannot determine which came first.
The Food and Drug Administration has not approved kratom for any medical use, and the Drug Enforcement Administration flags it as a drug of concern. A synthetic derivative called 7-hydroxymitragynine — commonly known as 7-OH — is sold in gas stations and smoke shops and can be five to 50 times more potent than regular kratom.
A separate report published in March 2026 in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report adds even more urgency. Poison control calls related to kratom surged more than 1,200% between 2015 and 2025, reaching a record 3,434 reports last year. Over that same period, 233 deaths were associated with kratom use — 184 of which involved multiple substances. Hospitalizations linked to kratom alone rose more than 1,150%, from 43 cases in 2015 to 538 in 2025.
Six states have enacted outright bans — Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Vermont and Wisconsin — along with Washington, D.C. Rhode Island also banned kratom but is transitioning to a regulatory model. Several other states, including Ohio and California, have taken aggressive enforcement action targeting synthetic derivatives like 7-OH while stopping short of a full statewide ban.
In Ohio, most kratom-related products became illegal to sell, possess or distribute effective Dec. 12, 2025, under an emergency rule issued by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy following an executive order from Gov. Mike DeWine.
The ban targets synthetic and concentrated derivatives — including 7-OH. A February 2026 update clarified that natural kratom in its whole, dried leaf, or powdered form is not subject to the ban, as long as it is not marketed as a food, drug, or dietary supplement — meaning it cannot be labeled with brewing instructions or sold in capsule form.
The Board is working toward making the ban on synthetic derivatives permanent, and Gov. DeWine has separately asked the Board to pursue scheduling of mitragynine, the active compound found in natural kratom.
In California, the state health department launched a sweeping enforcement campaign in early 2026, removing more than 3,300 kratom products from retail shelves statewide. And even in states where kratom remains legal, some local jurisdictions have enacted their own bans, including Sarasota County in Florida, Denver in Colorado and Suffolk County in New York.
Researchers call for policy action to limit children’s access to kratom in all states.
Inflation has hit the pharmacy aisle — Here’s how to shop smarter
Anyone who has walked a drug store aisle lately knows that over-the-counter products are not immune to inflation. Prices keep climbing — but a higher price tag does not mean a better product.
With more than 100,000 items now crowding pharmacy shelves, knowing what to buy can feel overwhelming. U.S. News and World Report just released its Best Over-the-Counter Medicine and Health Products rankings, based on surveys of nearly 500 practicing pharmacists and dermatologists across 128 product categories, cutting through the noise with recommendations grounded in clinical experience rather than marketing.
Chris Peshek, Pharm.D., Director of Pharmacy Operations at Discount Drug Mart, offers advice he shares with customers regularly: flip the box over.
“Flip the box over, don’t pay attention to the marketing and the flashy colors and the logos on the front of the box, flip it over, look at the active ingredients — that’s gonna tell you what it’s for, if it’s going to work for you, and that’s really the key piece of information that you need to know when making any decision of any over-the-counter product,” Peshek said.
He adds that comparing name brands to generics is easier than most people think. If the active ingredients are identical, the products are clinically equivalent. And here’s something many shoppers don’t know — sometimes the name-brand manufacturer makes the generic version too. If you have questions, your pharmacist is one of the most accessible and underutilized resources in healthcare.
Headphones every day? Cleveland Clinic says follow the 60-60 rule
Millions of adults and children wear headphones daily — but Cleveland Clinic audiologists say volume is only part of the equation. How long you listen matters just as much.
Experts recommend the 60-60 rule: keep the volume at 60% for no more than an hour at a time, then take a break of 10 to 15 minutes. And even at lower volumes, those breaks still matter. Wearing earbuds for extended periods can trap moisture in the ear canal, creating conditions for bacterial growth and ear infections.
Hearing loss from headphone use can be permanent or temporary, depending on the situation. If you notice muffled hearing or ringing in your ears, schedule a visit with an audiologist.
