Missouri AG Settlements Force Two Largest 7-OH Distributors to Halt In-State Sales

Why it matters

Missouri's Attorney General used civil litigation to achieve what state lawmakers could not: removing 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products from Missouri retail shelves, potentially setting a legal template for other states.

The big picture

As state legislatures have deadlocked over how to handle concentrated kratom alkaloids, attorneys general in multiple states have turned to consumer protection litigation as an enforcement mechanism. Missouri's settlements with CBD American Shaman and Relax Relief Rejuvenate Trading — the state's two largest 7-OH distributors — effectively end retail 7-OH sales without requiring new legislation. The contested legal and scientific terrain around 7-OH remains unresolved, with competing expert affidavits arguing both for and against classifying it as a dangerous opioid.

Key findings

• Missouri AG Catherine Hanaway secured settlements with two major distributors halting all in-state retail sales of 7-OH and related kratom alkaloids
• CBD American Shaman, described as Missouri's largest distributor, and Relax Relief Rejuvenate Trading LLC both agreed to immediately suspend in-state sales
• Breaching the settlement triggers a $5 million penalty and a court order; companies may still sell to out-of-state distributors if those parties agree not to resell in Missouri
• Hanaway cited an FDA report classifying 7-OH as "a potent opioid that poses an emerging public health threat" and state data linking kratom to at least 197 Missouri deaths
• Competing expert affidavits from five toxicologists submitted by distributors argued insufficient evidence exists to show 7-OH poses a public health risk
• Missouri legislators had failed to pass a legislative ban or regulatory framework before the session ended

What they say

"This resolution is a win for Missouri families. 7-OH is a dangerous opioid that is infecting our communities." — Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway

Bottom line

Missouri's AG used civil settlements rather than legislation to pull 7-OH from shelves, creating a legal enforcement model other states may replicate as legislatures stall.