Health experts warn about potentially dangerous substances Kratom and 7-OH: What to know

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The California Department of Public Health is sounding the alarm on Kratom, as well as a potent derivative of the plant called 7-OH.

In a January letter, the California Department of Public Health states that Kratom and 7-OH products are "not approved as a food product, dietary supplement, or drug product" per the Food and Drug Administration. The letter also states that retailers are not permitted to sell "in any form for consumption."

In a report marked "current as of December 12, 2025," the FDA states that "kratom is not lawfully marketed in the U.S. as a drug product, a dietary supplement, or a food additive in conventional food."

"Kratom and 7-OH products vary widely in potency, which increases the risk of unexpected effects and contamination," wrote the CDPH. "Therefore, CDPH is warning the public that foods and other products containing kratom and 7-OH are illegal to sell or manufacture for consumption."

Yet, they are widely available in smoke shops and gas stations. They are often labeled as a dietary supplement to help with chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and opioid withdrawal. When properly used in small doses, some people believe they can be effective.

MORE: Bay Area parents tackle fentanyl crisis, provide potentially life-saving drug: Here's how

In November 2025, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department urged retailers to immediately stop selling the products, claiming that six recent overdose deaths in Los Angeles County were tied to 7-OH ingestion. The Department said alcohol was present in all cases, but that the decedents were otherwise healthy, "with no other substances identified as substantively contributing to their deaths."

"I think that what we need to do is, we need to figure out how to educate people. We need to get similar to what we do with cigarettes, alcohol, or cannabis. At this point, it needs to be, you know, warning labels about what it is and what it does," said Micah Sawyer, the founder of a Sonoma County non-profit educating youth about the dangers of substance abuse.

MORE: 1st overdose death of drug '100 times more potent than fentanyl' reported in Santa Clara Co.

The California Alcoholic Beverage Control Department is warning business owners that it is going to "begin taking enforcement actions."

In the meantime, it's important to know that these products are often marketed with bright, colorful packaging designed to mimic regulated products and are typically sold as beverages, pills, powders, and gummies.

A representative for 7-HOPE Alliance Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on kratom and 7-OH research and policy, reached out to ABC7 News after publication to state that the California state agencies' advisories "may have created a misleading impression surrounding the current regulatory and legislative status of kratom and 7OH," and that it is inaccurate to say that it is illegal to sell kratom and 7OH in all jurisdictions.

This story has been updated to clarify that the CDPH's January 9, 2026 letter to licensed tobacco retailers asserts that "(a)ny product sold at your store containing kratom or 7-OH is considered adulterated and illegal to sell to individuals of any age for consumption," but 7-HOPE Alliance Foundation asserts that "(t)here is no current California or federal statute or regulation that makes kratom or 7OH illegal for human consumption."