By Kevin Palmer
It appears the media and government were pretending all was hunky-dory with the high alcohol-related death count before the two Ole Miss students allegedly died from using Kratom. Compared to its high death count and economic cost, alcohol is a gaping wound and Kratom is a pin prick.
According to a National Center for Alcohol Statistics 2026 report, “Approximately 178,000 Americans died from excessive alcohol use each year. Moreover, alcohol misuse imposes an estimated $250 billion annual cost on the US economy with 75% of the total cost attributed to binge drinking alone.” According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women on one occasion.” College students face particular risks from binge drinking culture. An estimated 1,519 college students aged 18-24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.
By comparison, according to a CDC report titled, Increases in Kratom-Related Reports to Poison Centers – National Poison Data System, United States, 2015-2025, “Between 2015 and 2025, only 233 Kratom associated deaths were reported. Of those deaths, 184 (79%) involved multiple substances.”
Because of the deafening silence on the high alcohol-related death count, it appears the media, government, and alcohol manufacturing lords agree 178,000 Americans dying each year from alcohol use is the acceptable cost of doing business with an industry valued at over $363 billion which generates nearly $70 billion in annual federal, state, and local tax revenue.
Nevertheless, whether the cause is alcohol or Kratom, the death of a family member is a time for mourning deserving of our heartfelt sympathy.