Full Breakdown
Synthetic Kratom Crisis Prompts New Regulatory Push in Oklahoma and New York
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
State officials in Oklahoma and local authorities in New York City are confronting a surge in deaths linked to synthetic kratom derivatives—particularly 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), MGM-15, MGM-16 and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI). Lawmakers are debating tighter age limits, scheduling of the compounds, and enforcement mechanisms after medical examiner data and investigative reporting identified dozens of fatalities and widespread retail availability.
Background & Context
Kratom is a Southeast Asian plant marketed for pain relief and opioid-withdrawal mitigation. Natural leaf extracts remain legal federally, but semi-synthetic variants are markedly more potent—some “dozens of times” stronger than morphine. Federal agencies issued an emergency order banning MGPI and MGM-15, and the DOJ announced plans to place 7-OH on Schedule I.
Data & Statistics
- Oklahoma’s medical examiner’s office has recorded at least 42 deaths since early 2025 where kratom was a contributing factor, according to toxicologist Jesse Kemp.
- The CDC reported 1,221 drug-overdose deaths involving kratom nationwide between December 2024 and December 2025.
- New York State Health Department documented 100 overdoses (2023-2024) and 45 deaths (2024-2025) linked to kratom, often with other substances present.
- An investigation of 52 New York City smoke shops found 8 stores selling products containing the banned synthetics MGPI or MGM-15.
- National usage estimates place 24 million Americans as having tried kratom, with the market projected to reach $7.80 billion by 2032.
Official Statements & Responses
- Rep. Ellen Pogemiller (Oklahoma City) asked, “As a state, what are we doing to ensure the products that are on our shelves are not reaching youth…?”
- Donnie Anderson, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, urged lawmakers to place 7-OH, MGM-15 and MGM-16 under the state’s dangerous-substances schedule, warning, “It’s killing people.”
- In New York, Assemblyman Phil Steck (D-Schenectady) said a veto-proof bill outlawing 7-OH is expected to be signed early next year.
- A Gov. Kathy Hochul spokesperson defended the governor’s record while the bill remains under review.
On-the-Ground Reports
- Isabella Gardner recounted severe skin reactions: “The drinks made my skin painful, red and scaly.”
- Braxton Bunch, 19, warned, “There are people dying from this substance that will never get that second chance.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Oklahoma officials cannot determine exact synthetic concentrations in post-mortem samples, creating uncertainty about each death’s precise cause.
- CDC figures aggregate all kratom-involved deaths, while state data isolate subsets, leading to differing totals without a unified reporting framework.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As a state, what are we doing to ensure the products that are on our shelves are not reaching youth, and that people understand the potential harms with the products?” — Rep. Ellen Pogemiller
- “The drinks made my skin painful, red and scaly,” — Isabella Gardner
- “But there are people dying from this substance that will never get that second chance.” — Braxton Bunch
- “There’s a lot of people that are being exposed to products that are not safe for them, and I don’t think a lot of them know what they’re getting into,” — Jesse Kemp
- “We are licensing these places [and they’re] like crack houses,” — Rich Marianos
What’s Next
- The DOJ’s pending Schedule I classification of 7-OH will enable federal prosecution of sellers, with penalties up to 20 years.
- Oklahoma legislators are expected to vote on adding 7-OH, MGM-15 and MGM-16 to the state’s dangerous-substances schedule.
- New York’s veto-proof bill to outlaw 7-OH awaits Governor Hochul’s signature; local lawmakers continue to press for a statewide ban on all kratom products.