Christopher Holstege, MD
Christopher Holstege, MD, a professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics and director of UVA Health’s Blue Ridge Poison Center, attracted attention nationally and internationally for his warnings about the dangers of kava and kratom, drugs widely available at gas stations and vape shops. Outlets included national news service Reuters, the New York Post, MSN and TV stations across the country.
In 2011, poison control centers recorded 57 calls involving kava. By 2025, that figure had risen to 203—a 383% increase. That same year, 30% of the calls involved the combined use of kava and kratom, another substance that, according to the DEA, has been linked to psychotic symptoms as well as psychological and physical dependence. Researchers from the Blue Ridge Poison Center said eight kava-related deaths were reported between 2000 and 2025 and that the overall majority of calls came from men aged 20 and older.
“The public needs to be aware of potential complications associated with the consumption of these products,” Dr. Holstege said in a statement.
Read full article at the New York Post.
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