Oklahoma officials warn of deadly kratom compound linked to more than 50 deaths statewide

State health officials and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are putting retailers on notice: a concentrated kratom compound known as 7-OH is showing up in a growing number of overdose deaths across Oklahoma, and stores that keep selling it above the legal limit could face criminal and civil consequences.

The warning does not target traditional kratom products that comply with Oklahoma law. It’s aimed at 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, a synthesized compound that officials say behaves like an opioid and is increasingly turning up in autopsies.

What is 7-OH?
Traditional kratom comes from a plant native to Southeast Asia and has been sold in Oklahoma stores for years as a mild stimulant that, in small doses, is said to offer relaxation and pain relief.

7-OH is a different story. It’s a concentrated, synthesized alkaloid that can be far more potent than natural kratom, and it’s sold in tablets, gummies, drink mixes and shots — often at the same gas stations, smoke shops and convenience stores that sell natural kratom.

Dr. Kacey Cliburn, a toxicologist with the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office, said her office only began seeing significant numbers of 7-OH cases in the last several months.

“This is kind of raising a lot of alarm in our office,” Cliburn said. “Because we started seeing it again in October. We haven’t even seen it a year.”

Cliburn said her office tracked more than 50 kratom-related deaths statewide between January 2025 and June 2026, including 14 in Tulsa County, and said the numbers have climbed sharply in recent weeks.

She said the most common compound her office is now seeing is dihydro-7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as MGM-15.

Why officials call it “gas station heroin”
Mark Woodward with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said the compound has earned the nickname “gas station heroin” because of how it affects the brain.

“Just because it’s sold in a gas station, it might even be labeled as an all-natural product,” Woodward said. “There are certain types of kratom that are absolutely deadly and incredibly addictive.”

Woodward said 7-OH can act on the brain’s opioid receptors similarly to prescription painkillers or fentanyl, but without any of the regulatory safeguards that come with a pharmacy prescription.

He said users can become dependent quickly, with some spending hundreds of dollars a week to sustain the addiction.

One of the biggest dangers, according to both Woodward and Cliburn, is dosing. Many 7-OH products are sold in tablets scored into four sections — meaning a single tablet can contain multiple doses. Cliburn said people often don’t realize they’re taking far more than intended.

“A lot of these are dosed in tablets that are scored into four, and so they’re basically 16 doses,” Cliburn said. “Most people don’t recognize that this is 16 doses of a substance, and they’re just going to maybe pop one tablet.”

What Oklahoma law already does
Oklahoma’s Kratom Consumer Protection Act, known as Senate Bill 891, took effect in November 2025. It limits the potency of kratom products sold in the state, capping the amount of 7-hydroxymitragynin allowed before a product is considered illegal under state law.

Because 7-OH itself is not yet a controlled substance in Oklahoma, Woodward said his agency’s jurisdiction is currently limited.

Woodward said the Bureau of Narcotics plans to work with state lawmakers during the legislative session that begins in February to classify concentrated kratom products above the legal threshold as a controlled, Schedule I substance in Oklahoma. That would give his agency broader authority to investigate stores, seize products and file criminal charges against retailers.

“Every store that pulls these products is one less opportunity to contribute to another death here in Oklahoma,” Woodward said.

Where the federal effort stands
The federal government is moving on a similar track. On July 1, the Drug Enforcement Administration filed two Notices of Intent to temporarily place 7-OH into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act — the same category as heroin and LSD. A second notice covers three related synthetic compounds. Both notices were formally published in the Federal Register on July 6.

That process is not finished.

Under federal rules, the temporary scheduling order can’t take effect before August 5, meaning 7-OH remains federally legal for now, even as the path toward a ban moves forward. If the DEA issues the order, it would apply to products containing more than 0.05% 7-OH by dry weight, or more than 1 milligram of the compound. Raw, natural leaf kratom would not be affected — the federal action is specifically aimed at concentrated 7-OH products like drinks, shots, gummies and tablets.

What officials want the public to know
Both Cliburn and Woodward said their main message is awareness — for consumers, parents and retailers alike.

Cliburn urged people considering these products to understand exactly what they’re taking.

“Make sure you understand what you are taking and know what can happen,” she said, adding that combining 7-OH with substances like alcohol or fentanyl significantly raises the risk of harm.

Woodward said retailers no longer have an excuse for selling the products without knowing what’s in them.

“If you don’t know whether you’re selling the legal or illegal version, go ahead and pull it,” he said.

He added that stores bear responsibility for testing their own products and could face both state sanctions and civil liability from families of victims if they continue selling kratom products that exceed the legal limit.

Consumers who suspect a store is selling prohibited kratom products can file a complaint through the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Consumer Health Services Complaint Form.