California health officials have issued an urgent warning about a gas station supplement linked to a deadly overdose in San Francisco.
The victim, a 37-year-old man, died in late September after taking a product labeled “Paradise Blend” that marketed itself as “cat’s claw,” according to officials. His death was ruled an accident caused by the toxic effects of kratom alkaloids, making it the first such overdose of its kind in the city after similar cases emerged in Utah and Washington.
The purple package contains 100mg of alleged uncaria tomentosa, or “cat’s claw,” and is sold under the brand “Script Botanicals x Maui labs.” But the supplement contained a hidden and far more dangerous ingredient: dihydro-7-hydroxymirtragynine, known as MGM-15, a kratom-derived synthetic opioid.
MGM-15 is 15 to 50 times stronger than morphine and is not approved for medical use in humans, officials said. The substance is a chemically modified form of 7-hydroxymitragynine, which occurs naturally in kratom, a plant marketed as an energy and mood booster.
Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said the packaging deliberately misleads consumers about the risks involved.
“It looks really not dangerous,” she said. “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 itself comes from a woody vine native to the Amazon forest and is promoted for relief from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, viral infections, and other conditions. The herbal supplement on its own does not contain MGM-15, officials emphasized.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche has previously raised alarms about synthetic opioids infiltrating consumer products. “These are potent opioids being manufactured and sold in consumer products, often under labels that obscure their true risks,” Blanche said.
The warning arrives as California grapples with severe overdose death tolls. San Francisco recorded 625 accidental overdose deaths in 2025, while Los Angeles County saw 2,298 deaths during the same period.
The case highlights how easily dangerous synthetic compounds can reach consumers through retail channels that typically evoke trust. Gas stations and smoke shops have become common distribution points for kratom-derived products that occupy a legal gray zone, often sold alongside energy drinks and vitamins without age restrictions or clear warnings.
Health authorities are now urging anyone who has purchased “Paradise Blend” or similar supplements to discontinue use immediately and report adverse effects. The investigation into the San Francisco death remains active as officials work to trace the distribution network behind the product.