State officials sue California kratom manufacturer
The California Attorney General and the Department of Public Health filed a complaint against the makers of kratom, a drug that has been linked to several fatal overdoses in Los Angeles County.
Public health officials said that the San Diego County-based company, Ashlynn Marketing Group, Inc., violated state law by continuing to manufacture and sell kratom, which the Food and Drug Administration describes as a "dangerous, illegal" opioid.
Typically found at gas stations and smoke shops, kratom and its synthetic version, known as 7-Hydroxymitragynine or 7-OH, have been marketed as an over-the-counter aid for pain, anxiety and drug dependence.
The FDA recommended the compound for scheduling under the Controlled Substances Act.
"CDPH is pursuing legal action because Ashlynn's continued manufacture and sale of these products pose a clear and preventable public‑health risk and violates state and federal law," said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. "7-OH and kratom-derived products have been associated with addiction, serious health harms, overdose and death."
Kratom comes from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. It's been used in a variety of products, including drinks, pills, powders and tea leaves.
It is currently banned in six states and Washington, D.C., and at least 18 states have some form of regulation.
The LA County Department of Public Health linked kratom to at least six overdose deaths in 2025.
"Kratom and 7-OH products are sold as natural remedies, but they are illegal and unsafe," said Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County Health Officer last year. "At lower doses, 7-OH acts like a stimulant and at higher doses, it acts like an opioid. Mixing or using it with alcohol, prescription drugs, or illicit substances can significantly slow breathing and lead to death."
Davis added that the unregulated products could make accidental overdoses more likely. In November 2025, LA County Public Health urged stores to stop selling kratom and its derivatives.
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors took a similar step last month, approving a set of regulations to deter the sale and marketing of kratom.
