Calls to the Washington Poison Center involving kratom and one of its active compounds, 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, rose 433% over the past three years, with the sharpest increase in 2026, CBS affiliate KIRO 7 News reported Oct. 29.
The center logged 176 kratom- and 7-OH-related calls through the end of September, ranging from overdoses to withdrawal cases. In September, the center received calls nearly every day.
Jimmy Leonard, PharmD, chief clinical officer at the Washington Poison Center, told KIRO that 7-OH is “essentially an unregulated opioid” that can slow or stop breathing and may cause death. Dr. Leonard said he is particularly concerned about accidental exposures in children because some 7-OH products come as small, candy-like tablets in flavors such as Sour Strawberry and Blue Razz. A few children have required naloxone, he said.
Washington has no statewide kratom regulations and no statewide minimum purchase age. Cities including Bellingham, Mount Vernon and Spokane have enacted local bans. Nationally, 33 states have adopted some form of kratom regulation and nine have banned it, according to the American Kratom Association.
Federal action has not cleared local shelves. The Drug Enforcement Administration took action in August to place three 7-OH-related compounds into Schedule I, and the Justice Department recommended in October that higher-strength 7-OH products be removed from store shelves. The DEA is not currently seeking to ban all kratom products. Multiple Seattle-area smoke shops told KIRO the federal action has had little effect on what they sell.
State Rep. Kassie Reeves, D-Federal Way, plans to push again for legislation establishing a Kratom Consumer Protection Act after her bill, HB 2291, did not pass last session. Ms. Reeves said the bill stalled because lawmakers were still learning about the issue and details weren’t ironed out. She said she hopes regulations pass in 2027 but acknowledged that state budget challenges could complicate the effort.
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