Santa Barbara County health officials have issued a warning to residents to avoid kratom products after confirming two overdose deaths in 2025, and five in the past three years, involving the supplement. Authorities say kratom and a potent compound known as 7-hydroxymitragynine carry serious health risks — including addiction, respiratory depression, and overdose — and are not legally approved for sale as food, dietary supplements, or drugs in California, despite continuing to appear in local retail shops.
“Kratom is packaged and marketed as a harmless natural supplement,” said Santa Barbara County Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg, warning that kratom carries a significant risk of dependency and overdose — particularly when consumed in concentrated forms or combined with alcohol or other drugs. He added that dosing in commercially available products is often inconsistent or poorly labeled, making it difficult for consumers to know how much they are ingesting. Toxicity, he said, is dose-dependent.
Health officials also caution that pregnant women who use kratom risk causing severe withdrawal symptoms in newborns. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not approve kratom products for consumption.