San Francisco recorded its first death linked to a powerful opioid sold at gas stations and smoke shops, authorities announced Wednesday.
The opioid, known as MGM-15, was detected in an adult who died of an overdose in late September, the San Francisco Department of Public Health said in a news release. MGM-15 is a laboratory-made chemical that is related to 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine), found in kratom leaves. MGM-15 is not approved for medical use and ingesting too much of the substance can be fatal, according to the city’s public health department.
Authorities linked the person’s death to a product sold at the smoke shops and labeled “Script Botanicals x Maui Labs,” the department said. MGM-15 is often found in products nicknamed “uncaria tomentosa” or “cat’s claw,” according to the Department of Health.
A photo released by health officials shows the product, which contains four 100-milligram tablets for $20. Script Botanicals did not respond to SFGATE’s request for comment. SFGATE also reached out to Maui Labs but did not receive a response prior to publication.
The same product identified in the San Francisco death appears to still be for sale on at least one website, Green Dragon CBD, which is a Missouri-based cannabis store.
MGM-15 overdoses have also been reported in other states across the country, including Utah and Washington. In the case of San Francisco, however, the specific brand “Script botanicals x Maui labs” is different from other brands linked to overdoses in Utah and Washington. Health officials said the San Francisco product’s packaging contained no reference to kratom or 7-OH, which is illegal for sale in the state of California. This year, federal authorities also classified substances including 7-OH and MGM-15 as illegal for sale or manufacture.
The San Francisco Police Department also announced Wednesday that its narcotics unit had seized illegal substances from several smoke shops across the city, including kratom and 7-OH. Products seized from smoke shops across the city were often presented as “herbal supplements” or had “misleading labels,” police said.
The recent death in San Francisco comes as kratom-related products have grown in popularity in recent years, leading to overdoses and fears of an ongoing opioid epidemic, SFGATE previously reported. According to the California Department of Public Health, products containing kratom can often appear “healthy” or resemble candy or treats.
Last year, a Bay Area teenager told SFGATE that he discovered 7-OH at local gas stations and fell into a serious addiction. Also in 2025, a 19-year-old UC Merced student who used ChatGPT to research drugs died after mixing kratom and Xanax.
A new synthetic opioid called cychlorphine was also reported by San Francisco health officials earlier this year after a 16-year-old city resident died of an overdose.
Gn Health
