OPINION:
The media and government seem to have been pretending that all was hunky-dory with America’s high alcohol-related death count — before two Ole Miss students were found dead, packaged kratom found at both scenes (“Ole Miss names two students found dead as investigation into their deaths continues,” Web, Sept. 25).
But with its high death count and economic cost, alcohol is a gaping wound, where kratom is a pin prick.
According to a National Center for Alcohol Statistics 2026 report, “Approximately 178,000 Americans die 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.”
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (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 unintentional, alcohol-related injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.
By comparison, according to the CDC report “Increases in Kratom-Related Reports to Poison Centers,” “Between 2015 and 2025, only 233 kratom associated deaths were reported. Of those deaths, 184 (79%) involved multiple substances.”
Does the deafening silence on America’s high alcohol-related death count mean that the media, government and alcohol manufacturing lords think 178,000 Americans dying each year from alcohol use is the acceptable cost of doing business? The alcohol industry is 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.
KEVIN PALMER
Evans, Georgia
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