California Man’s Fatal Overdose Linked to Gas Station Supplement
WHO:
Los Angeles Times - A 37-year-old man died after an overdose; San Francisco’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) tested the victim and a product package.
Los Angeles Times - San Francisco public health officials warned the public about supplements marketed as “cat’s claw” or *Uncaria tomentosa* that contained undisclosed MGM-15.
Los Angeles Times - The product was sold under the brand “Script botanicals x Maui labs.” The Los Angeles Times said it sought comment from the company but received no immediate response.
Los Angeles Times - U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “These are potent opioids being manufactured and sold in consumer products, often under labels that obscure their true risks.”
Los Angeles Times - The Coleman Institute for Addiction Medicine described 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as an opioid-like chemical found in trace amounts in kratom.
WHAT:
Los Angeles Times - Cat’s claw is a woody vine that grows in the Amazon and other tropical areas of Central and South America; the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says there is no conclusive scientific evidence supporting its use for health purposes.
Los Angeles Times - Cat’s claw does not naturally contain MGM-15.
Los Angeles Times - The Los Angeles County deaths drew attention to kratom and 7-OH products after six people died in cases linked to those substances and others; state officials subsequently pulled associated products from shelves.
Los Angeles Times - Federal action targets “manufactured and concentrated opioid products, not traditional botanical kratom.”
Los Angeles Times - Utah officials said product labels often claimed the supplements were legal and kratom-free while warning they were for “adults only/21+” or could produce strong psychoactive effects.
Los Angeles Times - The Washington Poison Center said it treated sick patients after use of fake cat’s-claw products containing MGM-15 and MGPl.
Los Angeles Times - Forensic toxicology testing confirmed MGM-15 in both the deceased man and a package containing four 100-milligram tablets labeled “uncaria tomentosa extract.”
Los Angeles Times - The medical examiner ruled the death an accident caused by the “toxic effects of kratom alkaloids.”
Los Angeles Times - Officials said the product packaging did not mention kratom or 7-OH; the article says neither was associated with the overdose death.
Los Angeles Times - The U.S. Department of Justice declared three “7-OH related” synthetic compounds—MGM-15, MGPl and MGM-16—Schedule I drugs. The article says they have high abuse potential and are not currently accepted for medical use.
Los Angeles Times - Officials said preliminary evidence indicated all three compounds are potent and could cause dependence and respiratory depression. MGM-16 had not been confirmed in public circulation.
Los Angeles Times - Utah officials linked MGPl and MGM-15 to four deaths; Washington’s poison center reported four confirmed deaths involving products containing the substances.
Patch - Health officials described the San Francisco case as the first reported local “Gas Station Heroin” death and said the victim appeared to have died after consuming MGM-15.
WHERE:
Los Angeles Times - Kratom’s source plant, *Mitragyna speciosa*, is native to Southeast Asia; cat’s claw grows in the Amazon and other tropical parts of Central and South America.
Los Angeles Times - The fatal overdose occurred in San Francisco, California; officials also reported related cases in Utah and Washington.
Los Angeles Times - The supplements were sold in gas stations and smoke shops, and some products were also sold online.
WHEN:
Los Angeles Times - The man died in late September.
Los Angeles Times - The Justice Department announced the Schedule I classifications in August.
WHY:
Los Angeles Times - Officials warned that supplements labeled as cat’s claw concealed potent synthetic opioid-like compounds and could pose risks including dependence and respiratory depression.
HOW:
Los Angeles Times - MGM-15 is a chemically modified form of 7-OH. The article distinguishes it from natural kratom, which is derived from the leaves of the Southeast Asian tree *Mitragyna speciosa*.
Patch - OCME forensic toxicology testing detected MGM-15 in both the decedent and the product packaging.
(UPDATED October 23, 2026 17:25 UTC)
San Francisco health officials are warning consumers about products sold as cat’s claw after a 37-year-old man died from an overdose involving MGM-15, a potent synthetic opioid-like compound. Forensic testing found MGM-15 in the man and in a package of tablets labeled as cat’s claw extract. The medical examiner attributed the accidental death to toxic effects of kratom alkaloids, though officials said the packaging did not mention kratom or 7-OH. Cat’s claw does not naturally contain MGM-15, and there is no conclusive evidence supporting its use for health purposes. The products, sold as “Script botanicals x Maui labs,” have also sickened people in Washington. Utah officials linked related compounds to deaths. The Justice Department classified MGM-15, MGPl and MGM-16 as Schedule I drugs, citing abuse potential and risks including dependence and respiratory depression.
--
(UPDATED October 23, 2026 16:23 UTC)
San Francisco health officials are warning consumers about supplements labeled “cat’s claw” after a 37-year-old man died from an overdose involving MGM-15. Forensic testing detected the synthetic compound in the man and in a package of four tablets labeled “uncaria tomentosa extract.” The medical examiner ruled the death accidental, caused by the toxic effects of kratom alkaloids. Officials said the packaging did not disclose kratom or 7-OH, and that neither was associated with the overdose. The product, sold as “Script botanicals x Maui labs,” was available through gas stations and smoke shops. MGM-15 is a chemically modified form of 7-OH, an opioid-like chemical found in trace amounts in kratom. The Justice Department has classified MGM-15 and two related compounds as Schedule I drugs, citing their abuse potential and risks of dependence and respiratory depression. Authorities have also linked related compounds to deaths in Utah and Washington.