Health officials are warning about the potentially deadly dangers of a synthetic kratom compound after it was linked to three recent fatal overdoses in Los Angeles County.
A compound known as 7-Hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, was ruled a contributing cause of death in three otherwise healthy adults between the ages 18 and 40, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health. Alcohol was also found in all three individuals.
Kratom is derived from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tree native to Southeast Asia. 7-OH is the psychoactive component of those leaves, which proponents tout as a cure-all for chronic pain, anxiety and opioid-use disorder — as well as an aid to increase alertness and energy.
A synthetically concentrated version of 7-OH is also used in products commonly sold at gas stations and smoke shops in L.A. County and across the nation. These products come in forms such as tablets, teas, gummies and concentrated shots for drinking, all of which the public health department warns carry an increased risk of adverse effects.
The department urges residents to look out for products with labels such as “plant alkaloids” or simply “alkaloid,” as they may contain 7-OH.
“At low doses, 7-OH can have stimulant-like effects and at higher doses it has opioid-like effects,” the department said in a statement. “High doses of 7-OH and/or [co-use] with alcohol or other sedatives can cause severe respiratory depression and death.”
The department warns residents to avoid using the compound and, above all, to avoid mixing it with other drugs. The department also recommends carrying naloxone, which can reverse 7-OH toxicity as well as opioid overdoses.
While kratom itself is not an opioid, it has similar effects and in high doses synthetic 7-OH can act more like a traditional opioid.
In July, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that there are no federally approved drugs containing 7-OH and that it is illegal to add the compound to dietary supplements or advertise products containing it.
“Consumers who use 7-OH products are exposing themselves to products that have not been proven safe or effective for any use,” the FDA stated.
Some states, including Arizona, Minnesota and Texas, prohibit the sale of products with 7-OH to minors.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors also recently passed a ban on the sale or possession of synthetic kratom products. Similar restrictions are in place in Newport Beach, San Diego and Oceanside.
The L.A. County Department of Public Health did not respond to a request for comment Friday evening about whether the agency would support similar restrictions in light of the recent overdoses.
However, a spokesperson told The Times last month that the department was reviewing the O.C. ordinance and is committed to raising public awareness about the dangers associated with kratom.
Last year, California legislators shelved a bill that would have imposed regulations on kratom products amid a clash between advocacy groups. The bill sought to ban the sale of kratom products to anyone under 21, require clear labeling and prohibit the sale of synthetic kratom compounds.
Times staff writer Karen Garcia and former staff writer Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this report.
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