California Public Health Officials Issue Formal Advisory Linking Kratom and 7-OH to Fatal Overdoses in LA County

Why it matters

A formal state health advisory from one of the nation's most populous states carries significant weight — putting clinicians on notice about the risks of products widely available in gas stations and convenience stores.

The big picture

California joins a growing number of states issuing official health guidance on kratom and 7-OH. The advisory was prompted by six recent fatal overdoses in Los Angeles County linked to 7-OH products. Kratom and its concentrated derivatives remain legal to purchase in California despite FDA warnings, creating a gap between availability and safety information.

Key findings

• Six recent fatal overdoses in Los Angeles County were linked to 7-OH products
• 7-OH is typically less than 0.02% of dry kratom leaf weight, but synthetic products can reach 98% concentration
• Overdose risk is substantially elevated when 7-OH is combined with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or unregulated street drugs
• Kratom and 7-OH affect the body's opioid receptors, creating risks for addiction, withdrawal, and respiratory depression
• Physicians are advised to screen patients for kratom use, especially before initiating opioid use disorder treatment
• Naloxone is effective at reversing kratom and 7-OH overdoses and should be offered to at-risk patients

What they say

Although kratom and 7-OH products are widely available and advertised, most consumers incorrectly assume that such products are legal to sell and manufacture for consumption and safe to consume.

Bottom line

California's public health officials now formally classify concentrated 7-OH as a potentially fatal opioid — and physicians need to start asking patients about it.