SALT LAKE CITY — Utah health, poison control, and agriculture officials issued an urgent public health warning following four fatal overdoses across the state linked to high-potency, illegal chemical compounds hidden inside certain herbal supplements and kratom products.
The Utah Poison Control Center strongly advises the public to avoid buying or using any products labeled as “cat’s claw,” items marked “adults only/21+,” or any non-prescription supplements marketed as legal alternatives promising psychoactive highs. Although these substances are strictly illegal to distribute or sell in Utah, state regulators warned that consumers may still encounter them on retail shelves, at local gas stations, in smoke shops, and through online vendors.
Testing conducted by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food identified dangerous semi-synthetic kratom derivatives—specifically mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, known as MGPI, and dihydro-7-hydroxymitragynine, known as MGM-15. State officials noted these products are often sold under brand names like “Buzzers” and deceptively labeled as containing “cat’s claw” or its botanical scientific name, Uncaria tomentosa. While natural cat’s claw itself is harmless, laboratory analyses revealed these items contain MGPI and MGM-15 despite product labels claiming to be legal and kratom-free.
In August 2026, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration designated MGPI, MGM-15, and related semi-synthetic chemicals as Schedule I controlled substances. The compounds act as powerful opioids far more potent than morphine, posing severe risks of chemical addiction, painful withdrawal symptoms, overdose, and death.
Under Utah state law, only pure, natural leaf kratom products may be legally sold to consumers. Any product containing concentrated extracts or semi-synthetic chemical compounds is strictly prohibited. Because these chemicals bind directly to the body’s opioid receptors, health officials emphasized that the overdose-reversal medication naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, remains effective in treating an accidental overdose.
In addition, evidence-based medical treatments typically used for standard opioid dependence and withdrawal are effective for people struggling with addiction to these synthetic compounds. Anyone experiencing withdrawal symptoms should seek immediate medical care.
Residents who observe kratom extracts or semi-synthetic kratom products being offered for sale in Utah are urged to report the retailer to the Department of Agriculture and Food by emailing udaf-kratom@utah.gov. For immediate support, treatment guidance, or urgent questions about potential overdose or withdrawal, the Utah Poison Control Center is available around the clock at 1-800-222-1222. All calls are free and confidential.