Deadly Opioid Found in Gas Station Supplement Triggers California Health Alert
Officials warn of a potent kratom-derived opioid, MGM-15, detected in a supplement marketed as 'cat's claw' after a fatal overdose.
California health officials have issued a warning regarding a supplement sold at gas stations across the state, which has been linked to a fatal overdose. The product, marketed as “cat’s claw,” was found to contain dihydro-7-hydroxymirtragynine (MGM-15), a potent opioid derived from kratom.
Health authorities confirmed the presence of MGM-15 in the system of a 37-year-old man who died in late September in San Francisco. The coroner ruled his death an accident caused by the “toxic effects of kratom alkaloids.” This marks the first reported death in San Francisco linked to this specific compound, following similar cases in Utah and Washington.
MGM-15 is reportedly 15 to 50 times stronger than morphine and is not approved for human medical use, according to officials. The supplement in question, labeled “Paradise Blend,” comes in a purple package and contains alleged uncaria tomentosa, commonly known as cat’s claw.
"It looks really not dangerous," Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told CBS News. "People buy it, they’ll take it as a supplement and they think it’ll give them energy…but if you take too much of them it can depress your ability to breathe and you can die from it."
Cat’s claw is an herbal supplement derived from a woody vine found in the Amazon rainforest, promoted for various potential health benefits. However, the pure herb does not contain MGM-15, which is a chemically modified form of 7-hydroxymitragynine, a naturally occurring compound in kratom. Kratom itself is often marketed to boost energy and mood.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche has previously cautioned about the increasing presence of synthetic opioids in consumer products, stating, "These are potent opioids being manufactured and sold in consumer products, often under labels that obscure their true risks."
This revelation comes as San Francisco and California continue to grapple with the ongoing opioid crisis. In 2025, San Francisco recorded 625 accidental overdose deaths, and Los Angeles County reported 2,298 deaths.