7-OH Kratom Lawsuits for Deaths, Overdose, Addiction

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are pursuing lawsuits against kratom manufacturers on behalf of individuals who suffered serious harm, including overdose, seizures, life-altering addiction and heart attack, from use of synthetic 7-OH products.

7-OH, also known as 7-Hydroxy, 7-OHMG and 7, has drawn strong criticism from media outlets, government agencies and health professionals, particularly for the way it’s being sold and marketed—as a harmless and even helpful “natural” product that’s readily available at gas stations, vape shops and more—despite reports that the substance is addictive, linked to a number of serious health effects, and 13 times more potent than morphine.

Indeed, 7-OH products, which are synthetically derived and a far cry from the natural kratom tree found in Southeast Asia, have been linked to a number of kratom overdose deaths, and the FDA has recommended the compound be classified as a Schedule 1 substance, the same class as heroin and ecstasy, meaning it has no accepted medical use and has a high chance of abuse.

Now, attorneys are looking to help individuals who took 7-OH products and suffered serious harm, as well as family members acting on their behalf, sue the manufacturers for medical expenses, physical pain and more over allegations they were not properly informed of the risks associated with 7-OH kratom use.

Who’s Eligible to File a Lawsuit for Kratom?

Kratom wrongful death lawsuits can also be brought by family members of individuals who died from 7-OH use.

What Kratom Brands Are Under Investigation?

7OH vs. Kratom: What’s the Difference?

Native to Southeast Asia, kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree whose leaves, when consumed, produce both stimulant and sedative effects. 

Kratom leaves, which can be chewed, crushed and smoked, or even made into a tea, have been used since at least the 19^th century in countries such as Thailand for medicinal purposes; however, products prepared from the leaves are becoming increasingly available in the U.S., both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. Specifically, the plant’s leaves can be harvested, dried, and crushed into a powder, which can then be sold loose in pouches, placed into capsules, or extracted into a liquid formulation, also known as a “kratom shot.”

While kratom leaves contain more than 40 alkaloids, the two main compounds responsible for their psychoactive effects are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, 7-Hydroxy, 7-OHMG and 7.

7-OH makes up less than two percent of the total alkaloid content in natural kratom leaves; however, manufacturers have popped up selling strong, concentrated 7-OH products, which are likely synthetically made given that it would not be financially viable to derive 7-OH from the leaves themselves.

According to a letter from the FDA to healthcare professionals, some kratom products labeled as “enhanced” or “spiked” contain 7-OH “at a level 500% higher than would be naturally expected in kratom leaf.” Indeed, the Blue Ridge Poison Center at UVA Health adds that concentrated 7-OH is “pharmacologically more similar to morphine or fentanyl than to raw kratom leaves."

It is these kratom products—synthetic 7-OH—that have drawn the ire of the FDA and are the subject of attorneys’ kratom lawsuit investigation.

A letter from FDA Commissioner Martin Makary summarizes the importance of distinguishing between kratom and 7-OH products:

“7-OH is found in trace amounts in the kratom plant leaf. But this is not our focus. Our primary concern is the concentrated form of 7-OH. This is an important distinction. These concentrated 7-OH opioid products are far more dangerous than traditional kratom leaf products.”

The FDA further cautions that although some 7-OH products are marketed as natural kratom, “they are not the same.”

What’s Involved in Filing a Kratom Lawsuit?

If you decide to file a kratom lawsuit, the attorney you hire will need to gather any documentation or other information that may be relevant to your case.

Once your lawyer has sufficient information, they will draft a document called a complaint—which outlines and explains the reasons for the lawsuit, including any harm suffered by you and/or your family—and submit it to the court. The complaint will specifically name the companies you are suing (the defendants), which may include kratom manufacturers, distributors and/or sellers, and detail the allegations against them.

 Your lawsuit begins once your complaint is officially entered with the court. During your case, your attorney will go back and forth with the attorneys for the defendants (which are the companies being sued) in an attempt to resolve the case.

In the event that your case is neither settled nor dismissed, it will proceed to jury trial. It should be noted, though, that courtroom trials are rare in civil cases such as these.

To learn more about filing a kratom lawsuit, fill out the form on this page. It costs nothing, and you are not obligated to pursue legal action if you reach out.

How Much Is My Kratom Lawsuit Worth?

Only an experienced attorney can provide insight into how much your kratom lawsuit could be worth.

How Much Does a Kratom Lawyer Cost?

The attorneys working with ClassAction.org are handling kratom lawsuits on a contingency-fee basis, which means that they will only be paid if they win your case. In that event, their payment will be a percentage of your kratom settlement or jury award.

Is this a Kratom Class Action Lawsuit?

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are not currently handling kratom lawsuits as a class action, as they believe the harm allegedly caused by the kratom products is severe enough for affected people to file individual lawsuits.

Class action lawsuits typically seek relief or compensation for a relatively small loss—for example, the cost of a falsely advertised snack product—suffered by a large number of people. In such cases, seeking recovery on behalf of a large group, or class, is the only way for the recovery to not be outweighed or made moot by the costs of the lawsuit.

However, each individual lawsuit over issues as severe and potentially costly as the effects of kratom use or addiction could potentially seek thousands in damages. As such, lawyers are interested in pursuing kratom lawsuits separately, for the specific harms caused to each individual consumer they represent.

Learn more about filing a kratom lawsuit by filling out the form on this page. It costs nothing to get in touch or speak to someone about your rights.

What is the Kratom Lawsuit About? Updates on Filed Cases

Class action and individual injury lawsuits have been filed against kratom product manufacturers and distributors in attempts to remedy or compensate some of the damage allegedly caused by the products, including life-destroying addictions.

Below you will find information on some of these kratom lawsuits. 

Feel Free Kratom Lawsuit, Settlement

In March 2023, a proposed class action was filed against Botanic Tonics over its Feel Free Wellness Tonic alleging that the company falsely advertised its kava drinks as healthy and only as addictive as sugar or caffeine while hiding the fact that kratom—not kava—was the primary ingredient. Further, the suit claimed that the Feel Free drinks were predatorily marketed toward people with a history of substance abuse, including as an alcohol alternative to support sobriety, perpetuating addiction in these people’s lives rather than helping to end it.

The kava and kratom drink lawsuit settled for $8.75 million, receiving preliminary court approval in March 2025 and final approval in October of the same year. The kratom settlement offered payments to anyone who bought the affected Feel Free products between March 28, 2019 and March 5, 2025. It also required that Botanic Tonics add a warning label to all future Feel Free drinks that states, “Warning: This product contains leaf kratom which can become habit-forming and cause serious health effects. Consider avoiding this product if you have a history of substance abuse.”

Krave Kratom Lawsuit

Another kratom class action was filed against Krave Botanicals in April 2023. The lawsuit claimed that Krave purposely misled consumers about the addictive properties of its kratom supplements. Krave’s packaging, for example, used colorful and natural imagery, and declares the products to be “all natural,” which the average consumer often takes to mean the product is healthy or otherwise beneficial, the complaint alleged. The Krave products were sold simply as herbal medicines and supplements, the suit said, with a bare bones disclosure on the packaging that the items were “not regulated or evaluated by the FDA.”

Per the lawsuit, the Krave kratom products contained no disclosure about the risks of kratom use or its opioid nature, and Krave’s packaging and advertising were intentionally designed to make the products seem as innocuous and healthful as regular supplements. As such, the complaint claimed consumers were deceived into purchasing a substance that has drained bank accounts, negatively affected relationships and personal lives, and caused intense addictions. The plaintiffs in the Krave kratom lawsuit, for instance, said they became addicted to the products and, upon quitting, had severe kratom withdrawal symptoms, which can include irritability, pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and decreased appetite, among others.

The case was voluntarily dismissed in August 2023.

Kratom Divine Lawsuit: Wrongful Death

One individual lawsuit argued that Kratom Divine’s products, which are sold by Society Botanicals, led to the demise of a 39-year-old Washington resident after his official cause of death was listed by the county coroner as the “toxic effects of mitragynine,” which is one of the two key chemical compounds in kratom.

The New Tribune reported that Society Botanicals’ owner denied that kratom had any significant role in the man’s death, claiming that the product—Kratom Divine’s Maeng Da tea—had been used by many “with no adverse reactions reported, other than a couple of people vomiting.” However, the lawsuit eventually went to trial, with the jury awarding $2.5 million in damages to be paid to the man’s wife and children.

Kratom Distro Lawsuit

In June 2021, a 39-year-old Florida woman passed away in her home, and her cause of death was officially listed by the county coroner as “acute mitragynine intoxication.” Shortly thereafter, the woman’s son filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Kratom Distro claiming that its products had caused his mother’s death.

Kratom Distro’s products were allegedly advertised as pain relievers—the purpose for which the deceased used them until her death—with euphoric, relaxing or energizing effects despite kratom’s lack of approval by the FDA and the agency’s warnings about the risk of substance use disorder, seizures and liver toxicity associated with kratom use. When reporting on the Kratom Distro lawsuit, NBC News added that the lack of FDA approval—and, subsequently, oversight or legislation—on kratom products means that they may be more susceptible to contamination with harmful materials, such as heavy metals or lead, and “contain dosages that are hazardous to consume.”

The Kratom Distro lawsuit received final judgment in the plaintiff’s favor on July 26, 2023, awarding him, other members of his mother’s family and the estate over $11 million total to be paid by Grow LLC, which does business as The Kratom Distro.

Is Kratom Safe?

Both U.S. and international agencies have raised concerns about the potential kratom dangers.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, for instance, outlined a handful of specific concerns about kratom, including:

Harmful contaminants: Kratom products have been found to contain harmful contaminants, including bacteria and heavy metals.

Adverse side effects, including kratom death: Users have reported mild-to-severe kratom side effects, ranging from nausea and dizziness to seizures and high blood pressure. There have also been a “very small” number of deaths linked to kratom compared to other drug-induced fatalities. 

Effects not well understood: Little evidence exists to show how kratom use can affect users in the long term as this is a relatively new area of study. There has also been very little research on the use of kratom in pregnancy, as well as the impact of kratom intoxication on driving, operating heavy equipment and performing other tasks that could be dangerous if done impaired.

The FDA has also warned the public not to use kratom because of the risk of side effects, which can include seizure, liver toxicity and substance use disorder, and states explicitly that “there are no prescription or over-the-counter drug products containing kratom or its known alkaloids that are legally on the market in the U.S.”  

The agency has taken a particularly strong stance on 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products. According to the FDA, there has recently been a “concerning proliferation” of concentrated 7-OH products, which are often falsely marketed as kratom but are “far more dangerous.” An online educational campaign titled “Hiding in Plain Sight: 7-OH Products” has been launched by the FDA as part of its efforts to “prevent the next wave of the opioid crisis,” with materials focused on educating the public, families and healthcare professionals.

Of particular concern to the agency is the fact that 7-OH products can be sold to look like ice cream, candy and gummies—forms that may catch the eye of children and teenagers. Indeed, an agency resource titled “Preventing The Next Wave of the Opioid Epidemic: What You Need to Know About 7-OH” cautions as follows (emphasis ours):

“Opioids have disturbingly gone mainstream with 7-OH—no prescription needed, no dealer required. This dangerous opioid is sitting on store shelves, making gas stations and convenience stores risky places where kids can purchase these drugs as easily as buying candy.”

In July 2025, the FDA announced recommendations to classify the compound as a Schedule I controlled substance, the same class as heroin and LSD, and later seized more than 70,000 units of 7-OH products from three firms in Missouri.

Is Kratom Bad for Your Heart?

According to a South Florida recovery center, kratom can have stimulative or depressive effects on the heart, which may impact blood pressure, heart rate and general cardiac health. The resource specifically lists increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, arrhythmia, narrowing of blood arteries and chest pain as the heart-related side effects of kratom. The site notes that kratom heart problems can “vary greatly” between individuals based on the dosage, the type of kratom taken, physiology and more.

In early 2019, a study was published analyzing data from more than 1,800 kratom-related calls made to poison control centers between 2011 and 2017 and reported instances of cardiac arrest, slowed heart rate, fast heart rate and high blood pressure, among other side effects like seizures, liver problems and respiratory depression.

Case studies have also been published regarding potential kratom heart risks detailing, for instance, cardiac arrest in a young, healthy 35-year-old man who had no other drugs in his system, ventricular fibrillation in a “very active” 44-year-old man, high output cardiac failure in a 24-year-old male, and acute right ventricular failure associated with heavy Kratom use.

Can You Overdose on Kratom?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, fatal overdose from kratom use alone (that is, not in combination with alcohol or other drugs) is “extremely rare”—but more research is needed.

Notwithstanding, the dangers of kratom and 7-OH products—including the potential for overdose—have led public health officials and the media to take notice.

In September 2025, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned the public and medical professionals of the risks of synthetic 7-OH after the medical examiner identified three fatal overdoses in individuals between the ages of 18 and 40. The department noted that alcohol was present in all cases, but that the individuals were “otherwise healthy” and that no other substances were found to have “substantively contribut[ed] to their deaths.”

According to LA County’s press release, 7-OH, when used in high doses or in combination with alcohol or other sedatives, can cause severe respiratory depression and death. The department cautioned that, because 7-OH products are unregulated, the risk of unintentional kratom overdose is higher as they “may contain unknown concentrations” of the compound. Tips to help prevent kratom overdose were provided; notably, the department advised residents to carry naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose and is sold under the brand name Narcan.  

A month later, LA County identified three additional fatal overdoses with 7-OH ingestion and warned retailers to stop selling 7-OH products as they “are not lawfully marketed in the U.S. as a drug product, dietary supplement, or food additive.”  

Additionally, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported a dozen or more kratom-related overdose deaths per year in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and warned citizens against 7-OH due to its opioid-like effects.

In April 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study that analyzed 27,338 reports of unintentional overdose deaths that occurred between July 2016 and December 2017 from 27 states and Washington, D.C. to assess the impact of kratom. The study found that of the reported overdose deaths, 152 individuals tested positive for kratom. In 91 of these reports, kratom was determined to be a cause of death by the medical examiner or coroner, with seven individuals’ postmortem toxicology results listing kratom as the only substance identified. Nearly all people reported to have a kratom-involved death, however, had other substances found in their systems.

While kratom-positive deaths accounted for less than one percent of overdose deaths reported, the study’s authors cautioned that they may be underestimated.

In December 2023, the Tampa Bay Times published an in-depth investigation that revealed more than 580 people in Florida had died from a kratom-related overdose in the previous decade. While most of the deaths involved kratom and another substance, 46 individuals overdosed on kratom alone, the Times reported.

The first part of the investigation opened with a cautionary tale of a 33-year-old husband and father who overdosed while enjoying a movie at home and posed the important question: “[H]ow could something so available be so dangerous?”

Is Kratom Addictive?

Multiple federal agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and reputable medical sources have reported that kratom has the potential to cause addiction.  

Indeed, an article from the Mayo Clinic states that people who use the substance may begin to crave it and need treatments for opioid addiction, such as Suboxone.

The FDA has explicitly warned consumers not to use kratom because of substance use disorder, among other serious adverse effects.

Class action lawsuits filed against Kratom manufacturers and sellers allege that the “active ingredients” in kratom are similar to opioids—and that this vital piece of information was not disclosed to consumers who would have no reason to suspect a “natural,” “plant-based” over-the-counter product could lead to kratom addiction. 

The kratom lawsuits explain that the two primary alkaloids in kratom—i.e., the naturally occurring compounds that produce a psychoactive effect when ingested—are mitragynine (MG) and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). According to the suits, both alkaloids interact with several receptors in the brain, including the mu-opioid receptor, which is known as the “gateway to addiction” as it is the receptor with which all opioids interact to produce the classic euphoric and sedating high.

In other words, the ingredients in the kratom products readily available at smoke shops, gas stations and corner stores stimulate the same receptor as heroin and oxycodone, according to the kratom lawsuits.  

Reddit users seem to concur that kratom is addictive; indeed, there is an entire subreddit dedicated to kratom withdrawal and recovery. The following is an example of stories from Reddit kratom users and their loved ones:

Been on roughly a little more than a 100 grams of Kratom a day. Seriously. At least 100 grams….It was a replacement for hydrocodone. Been about three years now and it’s completely out of hand. Tried tapering down during the holidays but all that did was make me miserable, unable to sleep, hot flashes and everyone else around me wondering what the hell was going on, so had to get back up to normal doses just so everyone would leave me alone. Not sure how I’m going to get through this…Damn how one ounce turned into 100 plus in the last three years or so amazed me. How I’m totally screwed.”
— Zr1chris, Reddit.com

[M]y boyfriend has been addicted to Kratom for a least a year he’s been off and back on a total of 3x and promises this is the last time it’s taken him two months to come off…. He has zero sexual drive… seems he has no joy… can’t be content and it’s actually ruined his life. It’s so hard to watch… he is coming off now it seems absolutely brutal…”
— wellnessdose, Reddit.com

…Last month in withdrawal I took empty 7oh tablet packages from my trash can, and licked clean the inside of the blister package where the tablets had been. Note that the packages had been in there for days and were covered by trash already. They weren't just conveniently sitting on top and clean…”
— Gr3yThoughts, Reddit.com

I was addicted to opioids for about 4 years. I went to rehab and got clean. I went to a vape store and the guy at the counter suggested trying something [new]. It was red vein bali Kratom…I started with 6 pills based on the suggestion of the vape guy. I felt amazing…I think deep down I knew it was trouble based on the opiod like hi…Over ten years my dose went up. The high got more intense. The use turned into dependence. 6 went to 10, then to 20, then 30. I am now on 60 pills three times a day. It's crippling me and my life. I've tried to stop multiple times. The withdrawals were the worst I've ever experienced. Agitation, anger, violent leg twitches, vomiting, and a depression I can't describe. I go back. I always go back.”
— Bungalowbeast, Reddit.com

3 years ago, I decided to stop. I was home with my family for thanksgiving like I am today, and I was shaking, crying, sick as a dog, the whole nine yards. I'll never forget what it felt like to say out loud that I was done. It's been 3 years, since then I've really recognized how addictive and dangerous kratom really was. I have friends who had had to go on suboxone for this stuff. I remember how it just made me feel like the worst version of myself, not motivated to pursue anything better or greater. Well, I have that drive back. Maybe it took some time, but I got it back....”
— Baconjesus666, Reddit.com

If you are struggling with kratom addiction, please contact the free Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline, or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

FDA Warning Letters Sent to 7-OH Sellers

In July 2025, the FDA issued warning letters to several companies regarding the marketing of kratom products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH.

While trace amounts of 7-OH occur naturally in kratom, the FDA’s warning letters specifically addressed these companies’ marketing of enhanced or concentrated 7-OH in various tablets, gummies, shots, drink mixes and other kratom products.

The FDA found that some of the products were considered “adulterated”—where the inclusion of 7-OH did not meet the applicable safety standards—while others were new, unapproved drugs with unproven claims about relieving pain or helping to manage anxiety.

7-Hydroxymitragynine Side Effects

Kratom Lawsuits: Are You Eligible?

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