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“It’s like cannabis in that people might mistakenly think it is safe because derived from a plant,” Dr. Weimer says. But its primary alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), are known as atypical opioids, or partial opioid agonists, because they bind to the brain’s receptors, albeit in a different way than morphine or oxycodone. “And if you use it regularly enough, say consistently for two weeks, then you're going to be at risk for opioid withdrawal and dependence because of its opioid properties.” “Like any substance you use, it can have negative effects if you’re using it too much, in large quantities, or for too long,” Dr. Weimer says. In higher doses, however, it has the opposite effect, acting as a sedative with opioid properties.

• Just weeks prior to his death, Brandon Clarke was arrested for possession of kratom.
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse says on its website that adverse side effects from kratom are rare but serious, and include psychiatric, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and respiratory problems.
• The molecules in kratom also bind to serotonin receptors and calcium blocking channels, he said, which prevents calcium from entering the cells of the heart and arteries, which is how medications used to lower blood pressure work.
• Ryan Scafe, Director of Client Relations at Renew Ministries, noted the rising number of people struggling with kratom dependency.

No matter how hard he's tried, the 28-year-old said he can't stop taking a kratom supplement called Feel Free. L.A. County health officials are linking three local deaths to the consumption of that synthetic compound where alcohol was also present. Natural products marketed in the U.S. before Oct. 15, 1994, were grandfathered in under the FDA’s list of dietary supplements.

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When you consume whole-leaf kratom powder or a full-spectrum extract, you're getting 7-OH as nature intended, balanced with mitragynine and dozens of other alkaloids. If you’re interested in using natural agents to support your wellness routine, it’s worth learning more about the benefits of kratom and kava. San Diego has banned kratom sales, while other municipalities have considered restrictions. Florida remains one of the more accessible states for kratom users, though local ordinances in some counties may add restrictions. The Texas Department of State Health Services issued warnings in 2025 about concentrated 7-OH products, citing a spike in poison control calls.

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The molecules in kratom also bind to serotonin receptors and calcium blocking channels, he said, which prevents calcium from entering the cells of the heart and arteries, which is how medications used to lower blood pressure work. “Kratom has a number of pharmacologic effects and one is through activating opioid receptors, Kaye said. “There are no FDA-approved uses for kratom, nor have there ever been, and the agency has received concerning reports about the safety of kratom,” Lauren-Jei McCarthy, an FDA press officer, told NBC News in an emailed statement. Last week, U.S. marshals seized an estimated $3 million worth of kratom that was being sold as a supplement by an Oklahoma-based company. “We went into the house and found a box of kratom empty,” Quinn said. The toxicology report following his death, which NBC News reviewed, showed that he had nothing in Q Kratom his system except caffeine, nicotine, kratom and an anti-seizure medication that he’d been prescribed.

The concentrated byproduct has been linked to opioid receptors in the body, triggering the potential for abuse and various drug-related symptoms. 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, is a concentrated form of kratom, a plant-derived substance that has been commonly used for pain relief and as a stimulant. Consumers are advised to avoid using kratom-derived or 7-OH products as they are dangerous, illegal, and potentially deadly.

A lesser known therapeutic use of kratom is to reduce cravings for opioids and other substances. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has approved an Investigational New Drug application to see if mitragynine – one of the many alkaloids in kratom – could be used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). "The US Drug Enforcement Administration calls kratom a drug of concern. Apart from the eight states where it is banned, kratom is available online and in petrol stations in the US, whereas in the UK, it is not allowed to be sold legally. These kratom consumer protection acts dictate how the product is made, how it is marketed, and who is eligible to purchase. A variation on a ban is the decision to add kratom or one of its primary compounds, 7-OH, to a state’s controlled substances schedule.

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The Food and Drug Administration warns against using kratom for medical treatment and says no kratom products are approved in the United States. Look for natural-leaf products with published third-party lab testing, clear 21+ age verification, accurate labeling, and GMP-aligned practices. Traditional natural-leaf kratom powder and capsules are regulated separately, primarily through state Kratom Consumer Protection Acts. Stick with transparent vendors that sell natural-leaf powder and capsules, publish lab testing, verify age (21+), and label products clearly. Natural kratom leaf is naturally dominant in mitragynine, with 7-OH present only in trace amounts. Rounding out the week’s kratom news, Florida’s emergency rule restricting concentrated 7-OH — first issued by the state Attorney General in August 2025 — is set to expire on June 30, 2026.

No. 7-OH is one alkaloid found in kratom leaves. We ship to states where these products are legal, test everything through U.S. labs, and stand behind our ChromaPure extraction process. We extract from kratom, not a chemistry set.

In state-level kratom news, Tennessee’s House Bill 1649 — known as “Matthew Davenport’s Law” — was signed into law and takes effect July 1, 2026. Food and Drug Administration, which issued warning letters to seven companies for illegally distributing products containing concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). The biggest national kratom news this week came from the U.S. The people selling those products should not be allowed to hide behind consumer confusion. To be clear, truly synthetic kratom analogs such as MGM-15 and MGM-16 raise legitimate safety and enforcement concerns. They are chemically altered compounds that may be sold in candy-like products, drinks, tablets, and other forms that blur the line for consumers.