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In its December newsletter, the San Benito County Opioid Task Force warned about the dangers of the drug Kratom and its derivative 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH).
Mary White, San Benito Public Health pharmacist, said Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) and 7-OH is an extract from leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia. It is taken in capsules, powder, or tea, and used for both stimulant and opioid-like effects.
“It is marketed as a natural product for brain boosting, depression and a variety of other things and not made clear what this really is,” White said.
The product on the market, she said, has a highly potent opioid effect since it has a high concentration of 7-OH and there were several fatalities from the drug in Los Angeles in 2025.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Kratom is a tropical tree (Mitragyna speciosa) native to Southeast Asia.
Products prepared from Kratom leaves are available in the U.S. online and in stores.
Kratom is often used to self-treat conditions such as pain, coughing, diarrhea, anxiety and depression, opioid use disorder, and opioid withdrawal, with regular Kratom users self-reporting using less than 6g of botanical kratom per consumption, according to several studies.
An estimated 1.7 million Americans aged 12 and older used Kratom in 2021, studies found.
Following is information included in the county opioid task force newsletter:
What does it do?
At a low dose, it acts as a stimulant and can cause dizziness, sleep disturbance, anxiety, restlessness, seizures.
At a high dose, it acts as an opioid causing drowsiness, slow breathing, vomiting, addiction and withdrawal, overdose, death.
Where is it sold?
It is sold illegally. It is not FDA-approved or regulated. It is marketed as a “natural remedy” or “dietary supplement” and can be found in: smoke shops, gas stations, online.
Can it cause overdose?
Yes. It has opioid effects and can lead to overdose and death. Fatal overdoses have been linked to Kratom products.
How to protect yourself?
Do not buy products containing Kratom or 7-OH; carry naloxone; do not mix with alcohol, other opioids or drugs; get medical help immediately if you or someone is experiencing ill effects after taking Kratom.
Administer naloxone?
Yes. Kratom products have opioid effects. Naloxone (Narcan) can be used to reverse an opioid overdose, including from Kratom products.
For more information go to: www.sbcopioidtaskforce.org/kratom
Kratom is illegal in California, and White said while she is uncertain that it has been used in the county she said they have had reports of it advertised in windows of smoke shops and gas station stores.
Anyone who finds Kratom or 7-OH products for sale should call the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) complaint hotline at 800-495-3232 or submit an electronic report here: https://shorturl.at/jHRIuIf you or someone else is experiencing any ill effects after consuming Kratom or 7-OH products, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or online at www.poisonhelp.org, or consult a health care provider.
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