L.A. stores must immediately stop selling kratom and 7-OH products, health department warns

"Los Angeles county officials are set to pull kratom and its synthetic extract, sometimes called 7-OH, from shelves immediately. Inspectors will be sent to retailers next week to begin red-tagging illegal products containing the compounds, the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a release Friday morning. Shops that don't comply could be hit with fines or other penalties. Kratom is an herbal extract from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tree native to Southeast Asia. It is sold in shops and online in a variety of forms, including powders, pills and liquid extracts. Brands selling kratom often make claims that it can address pain, anxiety and mood disorders."

"7-OH products are often marketed as "plant alkaloids," drawing criticism from some, including Lowe, who argue the labeling is misleading, confusing consumers into thinking it's the same as natural kratom. When mixed with alcohol, medications or illicit drugs, the county health department warns, 7-OH products can "cause severe respiratory depression and death. Importantly, these products are unregulated and may contain unknown concentrations of 7-OH, increasing the risk of unintentional overdose.""

Los Angeles County will remove kratom and its synthetic extract 7-OH from retail shelves and send inspectors to red-tag illegal products, with fines or penalties for noncompliant shops. Kratom is an herbal extract from Mitragyna speciosa sold as powders, pills and liquid extracts and commonly marketed for pain, anxiety and mood disorders. A more potent synthetic form refined into 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) has emerged and is often labeled as "plant alkaloids," which can mislead consumers. Mixing 7-OH with alcohol, medications, or illicit drugs can cause severe respiratory depression and death. Six kratom-related deaths were reported recently in Los Angeles County.

Read at Los Angeles Times