Dutchess County lawmakers approved a ban Monday on the sale and distribution of concentrated and synthetic forms of 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, targeting potent kratom derivatives that can produce opioid-like effects while leaving natural kratom leaf legal for adults.
The measure, passed unanimously at the county legislature’s Aug. 10 meeting, applies to products containing high concentrations of 7-OH and to several synthetic derivatives, including MGM-15, MGM-16, and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. It also applies to online and out-of-county sellers shipping prohibited products to Dutchess County and establishes escalating civil penalties for violations.
According to the law, any person or business who sells the products shall be subject to a civic penalty of up to $1,500 for the first offense, and up to $3,000 for each subsequent violation.
The law takes a narrower approach than one proposed last month by County Executive Sue Serino, who sought to prohibit the sale and distribution of all forms of kratom, including natural leaf.
Serino addressed legislators before Monday’s vote and, expressing disappointment that their measure did not go further, called unregulated kratom a “real and growing danger.”
Assistant Majority Leader Kristofer Munn (D-Red Hook), the law’s author, said that Serino’s competing bill was not considered because she failed to secure the necessary legislative support prior to the meeting. According to Munn, Serino submitted her proposal just before the Aug. 6 deadline, with no sponsors attached.
What is kratom?
Kratom comes from Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia and related to the coffee plant. Its leaves have traditionally been chewed or brewed as tea for effects that can include increased energy and pain relief.
Kratom contains dozens of naturally occurring compounds, or alkaloids. The two most extensively studied are mitragynine and 7-OH, both of which interact with opioid receptors in the brain.
Natural kratom leaf contains only trace amounts of 7-OH. In recent years, however, manufacturers have produced concentrated and semisynthetic 7-OH products with levels far higher, typically more than 20 times the amount found naturally in the plant.
Kratom first appeared in U.S. markets in the late 1990s as powdered leaves or tea. By the mid-2000s, the market shifted from traditional leaf preparations to high-potency 7-OH extracts, which are now widely available as tablets, tinctures, gummies, and energy drinks. These items are frequently displayed in bright, candy-like wrappers and are easily accessible at gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops, and online.
Potential side effects of kratom include drowsiness, delusions, and depression. High blood pressure, liver damage, respiratory distress, and seizures have also been reported, with 233 overdose deaths recorded over the past decade.
Because kratom is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), labeling inaccuracies are widespread, making it difficult for consumers to know the exact potency and ingredients of their purchase. Packaging often includes misleading “wellness” or “natural” branding, sometimes misidentifying lab-created 7-OH concentrates as simple powdered kratom leaf. In other instances, the word “kratom” is omitted from the front label entirely, and less than half of the products on the market feature safety warnings.
All forms of kratom bypass manufacturing safety standards and are not screened for contaminants. The FDA has regularly intercepted shipments contaminated with salmonella bacteria—which causes severe diarrhea—as well as dangerously high levels of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and nickel, which can cause severe neurological damage and kidney failure.
The distinction between highly concentrated products and natural kratom leaf is central to both the new Dutchess County ban and developing federal regulations.
A broader crackdown
Dutchess has become the fifth county in New York to ban the sale and distribution of 7-OH products.. New York has prohibited the sale of all forms of kratom to individuals under the age of 21, since Dec. 22, 2025; state regulations also require clear warning labels and ingredient disclosures. 18 other states restrict sales to minors and require such labelling.
In total, nine states, including Vermont, Florida, and Wisconsin, have banned kratom entirely — including natural leaf — as have 16 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.
On July 1, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced emergency plans to temporarily ban all concentrated and lab-made kratom products. Cited as “an imminent hazard to public safety,” the agency said the synthetics will become illegal at the federal level sometime this month — giving it time to complete a 2-year process to make the ban permanent.
Although the DEA states that natural kratom leaf poses abuse and addiction risks and has no legitimate medical use, its use and sale is not restricted in their proposed law. “Our focus is not on kratom. Our focus is on 7-OH,” said Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The supplement enthusiast made the remark during a January 13 interview with media personality Katie Miller.
Health officials view the crackdown as a necessary step to address the escalating public health crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a 1,200% surge in the number of kratom-related Poison Control calls, reaching a record high of 3,434 in 2025 compared to just 258 in 2015. More than 5 million Americans report using kratom, including more than 100,000 children between the ages of 12 and 17.
Like other opioids, long-term kratom users risk addiction, overdose, and death; stopping abruptly can cause severe withdrawal symptoms. As with other drugs, kratom’s effects depend heavily on the amount taken, the product’s potency, the method of ingestion, and other factors.
Emergency and treatment resources
If you believe someone is experiencing an adverse event from kratom or a 7-OH product, contact the state Poison Help Line at 800-222-1222. If someone is unresponsive, call 911 immediately and if possible, administer naloxone.
Treatment for kratom addiction is widely available. Dutchess County residents can find local recovery resources on the official county government website, while Columbia County residents can find help through their local health department portals.
For immediate crisis support call 988, the New York Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, staffed 24 hours a day. You can also reach the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 800-662-4357. Both hotlines are free and strictly confidential.
Great article, Mary Jenkins.