California authorities have recently raided dozens of stores and distributors of kratom and related products, embargoing and seizing over $5 million worth of items in what appears to be a new crackdown on the widely used drug.
The enforcement actions come as kratom and the related drug 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly called 7-OH, undergo increased scrutiny across the country. Kratom is an herbal drug that has opioid-like properties and has been used for decades in the United States. The much more potent 7-OH drugs, which can be extracted from kratom or synthetically produced, have a high risk of addiction and can cause fatal overdoses, experts warn. Scientists estimate that 7-OH can be more than 10 times stronger than morphine.
7-OH has exploded in popularity in the past few years, and it is now widely available at gas stations and smoke shops in California, which means it can be easily accessible to minors. Federal and state authorities are now moving to block its sale. The Food and Drug Administration recommended in July that 7-OH be made federally illegal via a Schedule I classification, though the natural kratom products would remain available. California lawmakers have proposed a similar remedy that would ban most concentrated 7-OH drugs. Some local governments have already taken action, with the cities of San Diego, Newport Beach and Oceanside banning the sale of kratom…