The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is warning consumers about several fatal overdoses that have been linked to legal products available for purchase at convenience stores and smoke shops.
Health officials say products containing a synthetic Kratom compound known as 7-Hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, have been connected to three fatal overdoses of otherwise health people.
The ages of those who’ve died range from 18 to 40, officials said, and all three have involved alcohol use but no other notable substances that contributed to their deaths.
Kratom is a natural product derived from the leaves of plants grown in Southeast Asia and can be consumed in pill form, as an herbal tea or smoked. Often used in the self-treatment of pain, anxiety or depression, it has a stimulant effect at low doses or opioid-like effects at higher doses.
When used in conjunction with alcohol, the risk of severe respiratory issues, as well as death, greatly increases.
It is legal to purchase, possess and consume in California, and is considered a deregulated product of concern for health officials both locally and across the country.
Companies have been synthetically concentrating the 7-OH psychoactive compound for use in products that can be purchased online or at retail stores across the county, including gas stations and tobacco shops.
But autopsies conducted by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has revealed the link between the products and the three fatal overdoses, and officials warn that it may be impossible to know exactly just how concentrated the compound may be in those products.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters regarding the illegal marketing of concentrated 7-OH products, which are often labeled as “plant alkaloids” or “alkaloid.”
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This products labeling represents that it contains 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as an ingredient. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) -
This products labeling represents that it contains 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as an ingredient. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) -
This products labeling represents that it contains 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as an ingredient. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
Those warning letters state that “7-OH is not lawful in dietary supplements and cannot be lawfully added to conventional foods.” There are also no drugs containing 7-OH that have been approved by the FDA, and any product that claims to be is violating federal law.
“Consumers who use 7-OH products are exposing themselves to products that have not been proven safe or effective for any use,” Public Health officials said in a news release.
Those who continue to use kratom and other derivatives are urged to follow typical guidance for opioid use, which includes never using alone, avoid mixing use with other drugs, and staggering use so that there’s always at least one person who can call 911 or administer the anti-overdose medication naloxone. Naloxone, also sold under the brand name Narcan, can be purchased at pharmacies and online through trusted retailers like Amazon and Target.
For additional resources regarding overdose prevention, click here.