San Francisco health officials are warning about the city’s first reported deadly overdose involving a powerful new opioid. It comes as police announce the seizure of hundreds of kratom-related products from city smoke shops.
A product that looks like an ordinary supplement is now the focus of a deadly overdose warning. San Francisco health officials say a person died in late September in the city’s first reported fatal overdose involving MGM-15.
Forensic researcher Dr. Alex Krotulski, who studies emerging drugs, says consumers may not know what they’re taking.
“The more common thing is that products are sold under more sort of generic terms, like roprietary blend,” he said. “A majority of people using MGM-15 won’t know they’re being exposed to it.”
MGM-15 is a powerful opioid derived from kratom-related compounds.
Krotulski compares its potency to morphine.
Federal officials have temporarily placed it in Schedule 1, making unauthorized sales and possession Illegal.
“It is also possible the person selling it didn’t know that they were selling it because it exists in a shadow in a world sort of legality and illegality,” Krotulski said.
In separate investigations, San Francisco police searched two smoke shops: one on Haight Street on Sept. 10 and another on Geary Boulevard on Oct. 9.
More than 400 kratom products were seized from the Geary location.
Police have not reported finding MGM-15 at either shop or linked them to the death.
Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents the Haight, says the overdose death heightens his concerns about dangerous products being sold locally. He also praises police for their recent seizures.
“I appreciate that we’re working really fast to address this and we’re going to work collaboratively across different city departments to ensure we contain this as best as we can,” Mahmood said.
Health officials are urging consumers to be cautious with products that don’t clearly list their ingredients.
