San Francisco officials linked an overdose death to a synthetic opioid sold in smoke shops.
San Francisco health officials have reported the city’s first known death linked to MGM-15, a powerful lab-made opioid found in products sold at some gas stations and smoke shops. The substance was detected in an adult who died from an overdose in late September, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health. MGM-15 is a synthetic chemical related to 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a substance found in kratom leaves. Health officials warn that MGM-15 is not approved for medical use and that taking too much can cause a fatal overdose. The latest case has drawn attention to, and raised concerns about, products marketed as herbal items that may contain potent substances without clearly stating what is inside.
Officials linked the death to a product sold under the name Script Botanicals x Maui Labs. The item was marketed in smoke shops, and photographs shared by city officials showed a package containing four tablets, each listed as 100 milligrams, with a price of $20. The packaging did not mention kratom or 7-OH, according to the health department. MGM-15 has also been found in products described as uncaria tomentosa, known as cat’s claw. That name can give the impression that an item is an ordinary plant-based supplement rather than a product containing a powerful synthetic chemical. Officials are warning the public about misleading produce names and labels, reminding consumers not to make informed buying decisions rather than simply assuming these products are safe to ingest.
The company names connected to the San Francisco product differ from brands associated with other reported MGM-15 overd0ses in Utah and Washington. The same Script Botanicals x Maui Labs product also appeared to remain available through at least one online retailer, Green Dragon CBD, a Missouri-based cannabis store. On the same day that state health officials the death, the San Francisco Police Department reported that its narcotics unit had seized illegal substances from several smoke shops across the city, including kratom and 7-OH products. Police said some were sold as herbal supplements or carried labels that could mislead customers about what they contained.
Kratom products have become more widely available in recent years, with some sold in forms that resemble candy, drinks or everyday wellness products. The California Department of Public Health has warned that this type of packaging can make the products appear harmless, even when their ingredients may pose serious risks. Earlier reports have described the negative effects of these products on young people. In 2025, a teenager from the Bay Area told SFGATE that he had discovered 7-OH at local gas stations and later developed a severe addiction. That same year, a 19-year-old student at the University of California, Merced, died after taking kratom and Xanax together. The student had reportedly used ChatGPT to research drugs before the fatal incident. San Francisco health officials have also raised concerns about other synthetic opioids. Earlier in the year, they warned about cychlorphine after a 16-year-old city resident died from an overdose involving the substance.
The latest death adds to concerns about powerful chemicals appearing in products sold outside traditional medical settings. Health officials continue to warn that labels describing an item as herbal or plant-based do not guarantee that it is safe. The San Francisco case also shows how products with unclear ingredients can reach store shelves and online sellers, leaving customers unaware of the risks they may face.
Sources:
SF reports first death tied to ‘cat’s claw’ opioid sold at smoke shops
California health officials sound alarm over gas station supplement linked to deadly overdose
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