Four people have died in Utah after using illegal chemicals hidden in herbal supplements sold at smoke shops and gas stations, state officials announced Monday, Oct. 5.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Utah Poison Control Center and the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) issued a joint warning urging residents not to buy or use products labeled as "cat's claw," a common botanical supplement, items marked "adults only/21+" or any non-prescription product promising a psychoactive high, ABC4 first reported.
The products contain two semi-synthetic kratom chemicals: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI) and MGM-15. Both act on the body's opioid receptors and are far stronger than traditional kratom leaf.
"They're very potent, much more potent than regular mitragynine," Megan Broekemeier, a forensic epidemiologist with DHHS, told KJZZ. "Much more potent than even morphine."
The four deaths occurred over four months and are not concentrated in one part of the state, according to Broekemeier.
UDAF found the compounds through random product testing. The products are frequently sold under the brand name "Buzzers" and labeled as cat's claw supplements, despite containing illegal opioid-acting compounds. State lab tests confirmed the products contained MGPI and MGM-15. A lab report posted on the Buzzers product page claimed no detectable MGM-15, according to KJZZ's reporting. That discrepancy is part of the ongoing investigation.
UDAF said tracing the supply chain has been difficult because manufacturers have used dummy addresses and unconventional distribution methods. The agency is working with law enforcement and the federal Food and Drug Administration to identify the companies involved.
Under Utah law, only pure, natural kratom leaf may be sold. Senate Bill 45, which banned adulterated kratom products, took effect May 6 after passing the state House 63-10 and the Senate unanimously. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classified MGPI, MGM-15 and related compounds as Schedule I controlled substances effective Aug. 26.
DHHS had issued a narrower warning in July about Buzzers-brand tablets linked to one death and several severe health incidents, according to ABC4's earlier reporting. The Oct. 5 alert covers additional deaths and a wider range of products.
The warning covers smoke shops and gas stations statewide, and officials are asking all retailers to pull the products from shelves. Officials also urged people to check products they may still have at home.
Because MGPI and MGM-15 act on opioid receptors, the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, sold as Narcan, can treat an overdose from these products, according to KSL. Anyone who is difficult to wake or not breathing should be treated as a possible overdose: call 911 and administer Narcan if available.
Standard opioid-dependence treatments are effective for people struggling with addiction to these substances, state officials said. Anyone experiencing withdrawal should seek immediate medical attention.
Residents who spot kratom extracts or semi-synthetic kratom products for sale can report them by emailing [email protected]. The Utah Poison Control Center is available 24/7 at 1-800-222-1222 for free, confidential help.
