What to know about synthetic kratom, the supplement being banned in SoCal and across the U.S.

Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times on Aug 20, 2025

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An herbal supplement that's marketed as a cure-all for chronic pain and sold in gas stations and smoke shops is getting banned in communities across Southern California and the nation.

Kratom is derived from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tree native to Southeast Asia, and is commonly extracted into a powder or pill.

Researchers say in the United States people are using kratom to alleviate anxiety, treat chronic pain or as a remedy for the symptoms associated with quitting opioids, among other uses.

But recently, public health officials have raised alarms about a component of the leaf called hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, an alkaloid which has the potential for abuse because of its ability to bind to opioid receptors in the body.

7-OH is a naturally occurring substance in the kratom plant but researchers are seeing a proliferation of concentrated 7-OH products that potentially have enhanced amounts of the chemical, according to an FDA report.

The use of kratom, in any form, has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but the agency is particularly scrutinizing 7-OH. It is also not regulated at the state level in California.

In the absence of regulation, last week the Orange County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale, distribution or possession of synthetic kratom products in any form in the county. The ban follows similar ordinances approved in Newport Beach, San Diego and Oceanside, among other cities.

Some states, including Arizona, Minnesota and Texas, prohibit the sale of products with 7-OH to minors. Other states are working on legislation that would tighten kratom regulations that include testing, age restrictions and labeling.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is reviewing the Orange County ordinance and "is committed to continuing our efforts to inform residents about the dangers associated with kratom," the department said in a statement.

"Its availability is a cause for concern since Los Angeles residents might use kratom without a full understanding of its risks," the statement read.

What are the side effects of taking kratom?

The drug has stimulant effects, in low doses, so people have reported feeling alert, physically energized and talkative, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. In high doses, it can have opioid effects such as sedation.

Because of kratom's opioid effects, those who use it can develop opioid use disorder which seriously impacts "the health and wellness of our community and increases the risk of people using higher-potency opioids associated with significant overdose risks," the Los Angeles County Department of health stated.

Poison control centers in the U.S. received more than 3,400 reports about the use of kratom from 2014 to 2019, according to the Mayo Clinic. The side effects reported included high blood pressure, confusion, seizures and death. According to the FDA, there were 11 deaths between 2011 and 2017 connected to kratom exposure but almost all of them involved other drugs or contaminants.

General physical side effects of kratom can include nausea, constipation, dizziness and dry mouth. Side effects related to the nervous system include hallucinations, delusions, depression, confusion and trouble breathing.

Why isn't kratom regulated?

In July, the FDA recommended that the synthetic ingredient 7-OH, not the plant itself, be placed on the federal government's restrictive list of illegal drugs.

The ingredient is being used in products that are becoming increasingly available to purchase online and at smoke shops, the agency warned.

The FDA is particularly concerned with the growing market of 7-OH products that may be especially appealing to children and teenagers, such as fruit-flavored gummies and ice cream cones that aren't clearly labeled as having 7-OH content.

The federal agency's recommendation will be reviewed by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which ultimately has the authority to categorize the chemical as an illegal drug but not without a draft of its findings followed by a public comment period.

Last year, California was on its way to having statewide regulation for kratom products.

Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) proposed Assembly Bill 2365 that would require kratom products be registered with the public health department. It would have also regulated the product's chemical content, mandate labeling with alkaloid amounts and warnings that kratom may be habit forming as well as bar kratom sales to anyone under the age of 21.

The bill was well-constructed for consumer protection but disappointingly shelved last year, said Matthew Lowe, executive director of the Global Kratom Coalition.

"Without regulation, these bad actors push synthetic products onto the market without any legal or scientific justification," Lowe said. "Consumers who responsibly use natural kratom leaf fear losing access because of the reckless actions of those selling dangerous synthetics falsely marketed as natural kratom."

The coalition supports putting federal regulations on 7-OH so it can provide a legal framework for local governments, Lowe said.