ABC Director Paul Tupy said the agency expects high compliance, similar to a 2023 campaign that removed illegal hemp products from shelves
California’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is launching enforcement actions against licensed retailers selling products containing kratom or 7-hydroxymitragynine, substances the state health department says are dangerous and illegally marketed.
The effort, announced Thursday, follows guidance from the California Department of Public Health warning that the potent opioid-like products can cause addiction, seizures, overdose and death. They cannot be lawfully sold as drugs, supplements or food additives, officials said.
ABC Director Paul Tupy said the agency expects high compliance, similar to a 2023 campaign that removed illegal hemp products from shelves after nearly 17,000 site visits.
Non-compliant licensees face criminal and administrative penalties.
The Department of Public Health has seized more than $5 million worth of kratom and related products and continues removal actions at retail and manufacturing sites, according to the department.
