Oklahoma Family Speaks Out After 20-Year-Old Dies from Single Gas-Station 7-OH Pill

Why it matters

Evan Bartholomew's death illustrates how a single dose of a legally sold gas station product can prove fatal — and how consumers researching kratom online may find reassuring information that does not reflect the true risk of concentrated synthetic products. His case is one of at least 58 kratom-linked deaths in Oklahoma since January 2025.

The big picture

Oklahoma passed its Kratom Consumer Protection Act in 2021 and has updated it twice, capping 7-OH at 1% in products sold statewide. But state officials say enforcement is limited because 7-OH is not yet a Schedule 1 substance at the state or federal level. The DEA filed its notice of intent to temporarily schedule 7-OH on July 1, 2026, meaning federal control will not take effect until August 5 at the earliest.

Key findings

• Evan Bartholomew, 20, died June 25, 2026, after taking a single synthetic kratom pill purchased at a gas station
• At least 58 Oklahoma deaths have been linked to kratom products since January 2025, up from 14 in 2023 and 6 in 2024
• The Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office reports a sharp increase in 7-OH deaths beginning October 2025 — concentrated in the compound MGM-15
• Synthetic 7-OH is described by state officials as 10 to 30 times more potent and addictive than natural kratom
• Some 7-OH tablets are scored into four sections, each representing a single dose — but consumers often take the entire tablet
• State legislation to classify concentrated 7-OH as Schedule 1 passed the Oklahoma Senate in 2025 but died in the House

What they say

"Evan would just want people to know — just not to do it. Not to take it, because you just can't trust it, because it's poison and it can kill you," said Miranda Bartholomew, Evan's mother, who is now advocating for stricter 7-OH enforcement.

Bottom line

A 20-year-old Oklahoman died after taking one gas-station 7-OH pill, adding to at least 58 state deaths since 2025 and putting a human face on the federal push to schedule concentrated synthetic kratom compounds.