Utah
Is Kratom ‘gas station heroin’ or a misunderstood plant? A Utah lawmaker pushes to ban it
A Utah legislator just introduced a bill that would put a state ban on the controversial — and somewhat obscure — drug kratom. If passed, Utah would join at least seven other states in banning its sale altogether, making the law stricter than federal government regulations.
Kratom derives from a tropical tree in Southeast Asia. Depending on dosage, it can have either sedative or stimulating effects. The kratom leaf contains two major psychoactive ingredients, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, the latter better known as 7-OH.
The Food and Drug Administration has not approved the drug for any type of medical use and the Justice Department’s Drug Enforcement Agency has identified it as a “drug and chemical of concern.”
At the heart of the kratom debate is a core disagreement: Is kratom itself the problem, or are look-alike synthetic kratom products being sold in stores to blame?
The Trump administration’s focus is on synthetic products. In a recent press conference, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the administration believes “it’s a night and day (difference) in terms of the public health risk” between natural and synthetic kratom.
The sponsor of Utah’s new bill, Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, sees kratom in all forms as a dangerous opioid masquerading as a supplement. He doesn’t differentiate between natural kratom products and what might be synthetic/manipulated compounds.
The American Kratom Association disagrees, insisting to the Deseret News that science supports regulation — not prohibition — and that synthetic kratom-like substances, like 7-OH, are the problem, not natural kratom.
7-OH occurs naturally in the plant, but many products on the shelves that are labeled as kratom have chemically altered 7-OH or are extracted to be far stronger than what the plant produces on its own.
Mac Haddow, senior fellow on public policy for the American Kratom Associationa, said McKell is lumping together natural kratom with synthetic 7-OH, and that Utah already has in place a law that “has become the model around the country.”
He’s referring to the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which established penalties for not following specific labeling and selling requirements of the drug, etc. McKell said he voted for the protection act in 2019 and now regrets it.
“We’re for banning 7-OH and other synthetically derived compounds from 7-OH called pseudondoxal and MGM 15,” Haddow said. “That’s what his bill should do … and I think that’s what he wants to do, is to protect the public.”
But rather than regulating the drug, McKell said, banning is the only appropriate course of action to protect lives. Haddow said the American Kratom Association is willing to work with McKell on the bill; McKell said that won’t be happening,
“I want to make clear, my goal is to protect the public, not kratom,” he said. “And I think it needs to be clear that there are hundreds of thousands of dollars flowing to the people pedaling kratom in this state and other states.”
“I think the industry is abused,” and “these products are becoming far more dangerous,” McKell said. “Kratom is harming people.”
He shared data gathered from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services that was viewed by the Deseret News, showing kratom was involved in 152 overdose deaths from 2020 to 2025, and increased by 43% from 2021 to 2025. The Mayo Clinic has noted that a kratom drug overdose is possible, but it is rare. And the FDA has said that in these cases, “kratom was usually used in combination with other drugs, and the contribution of kratom in the deaths is unclear.”
The Deseret News recently did a deep dive investigation into the drug, speaking to health care professionals and addiction specialists, lobbyists for the drug and victims of its addictive nature, which gave it its infamous nickname, “gas station heroin.”
Why McKell believes a ban is necessary
During his investigation, McKell said one of his greatest concerns is how easily obtainable kratom and kratom-containing products are. Products can be found in gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops and even grocery stores.
McKell said he went to 15 different locations and asked for their most popular kratom product and had nine samples tested at the state lab, where the results showed the 7-OH levels were all within the legal limit.
“The reality is they are extracting the plant form of kratom, and they are making the plant form of kratom, the mitragynine, way more potent,” he said. He argues that “the kratom plant itself is harmful, and people are getting addicted to it.
McKell noted that it doesn’t shock him when he hears a story of someone who started taking natural kratom and it solved all their pain problems. “It doesn’t surprise me that somebody who is using opioids is able to replace one opioid with another? What’s happening is, you do have people that have been able to replace the opioid they’re currently using, and replace it with kratom. … because kratom is just like an opioid.”
Though it isn’t classified as one, kratom has been shown in studies to “produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects,” per the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “People report using kratom to manage drug withdrawal symptoms and cravings (especially related to opioid use), pain, fatigue and mental health problems,” but studies have found that users can become addicted to it and experience withdrawals when trying to quit.
McKell said one of his constituents admitted to consuming eight to 10 of the two-pack “heavily extracted” kratom pill options that he said cost around $20 each at the gas station.
On top of the financial hardship the addiction causes, McKell was blown away by the accessibility. The U.S. regulates opioids — “We run it through a pain clinic, we run it through your physician, we run it through a pharmacy, and we’ve got strong drugs sitting there at the gas station. … I don’t think there’s a (valid) argument we should sell opioids in gas stations where it’s readily available to public,” where it is also known to attract more vulnerable populations, he said.
Schmaltz’s 24 goals this season are a new career-high. He’s been a consistently strong presence and has taken on more responsibility with the switch from wing to center. His goal on the power play came just eight seconds into the man-advantage and opened the scoring early in the second period. In addition to his goal, he had an assist on Utah’s second goal of the game. Tourigny discussed Schmaltz’s maturity following the win.
“He’s a mature person, mature man,” Tourigny explained. “He really wants to make a difference. I always say about Schmaltz, (he’s) a gamer. He wants to play in those moments, and I think he’s excited about where our team is at, and he wants to be a big part of it, and he is. He’s a huge leader for us.”
Utah held Philadelphia to 16 total shots: four in the first period, seven in the second, and five in the third. The Mammoth showed their strong defensive game in the win.
“I think that’s when we’re at our best, when we’re defending hard,” Schmaltz said. “We’re playing with a lot of pace, not giving them time and space, frustrating them, and making them force plays, and then we turn it over and go the other way.”
On the flip side, against a stingy Philadelphia defense, Utah generated 23 shots including 14 in the second period. Schmaltz spoke to what led to the increased opportunities in the middle frame.
“A little bit more direct,” Schmaltz shared. “I think our transition game was really good. We were catching them, kind of hemming them in. Good line changes and just rolling them over and shooting a little bit more.”
In addition to Schmaltz’s goal, Captain Clayton Keller scored his 19th of the season seven and half minutes after his linemate’s tally to increase the score to 2-0. Michael Carcone’s empty net goal with 1:48 left in regulation secured the 3-0 win.
Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)
- The Mammoth’s power play went 1-for-2 against the Flyers. Utah has scored seven power play goals in seven games (7-for-18, 38.9%). On the other side of special teams, the Mammoth’s penalty kill went 3-for-3.
- JJ Peterka played his 300th NHL game. Peterka was selected 34th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft and is the ninth player from his draft class to reach the milestone. He is also just the eighth German-born forward in NHL history to accomplish the feat.
- Keller has recorded 11 points in his last seven games (2/2-3/5: 3g, 8a), finding the scoresheet in six of those contests.
- With two assists tonight, Dylan Guenther has posted his second straight multi-point outing (3/3 at WSH: 1g, 1a) and his third in five games (2/25 vs. COL: 2g).
Utah has won the first two games of a five-game road trip. Up next, the Mammoth travel to Columbus and face the Blue Jackets on Saturday night.
Upcoming Schedule
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Officials have identified a 22-year-old man as the suspect in a Las Vegas homicide case that killed two people in a Southern Highlands neighborhood.
Detectives say 22-year-old Ziaire Ham was the suspect in the case. According to officials, Ham was located on Tuesday, March 3, by the Ogden City Police Department and the Utah Highway Patrol.
Ham was taken into custody and booked into the Weber County Jail. Las Vegas authorities said he will be charged with open murder with the use of a deadly weapon and will be extradited back to the valley.
MORE ON FOX5: LVMPD corrections officer arrested on multiple felony charges
The shooting occurred Monday night at the 11000 block of Victoria Medici Street, near Starr Ave and Dean Martin Drive.
According to police, officers were conducting a vehicle stop in the area when they heard gunfire. After searching nearby neighborhoods they found a car with bullet impacts with a woman and a toddler inside suffering from gunshot wounds.
The pair were transported to hospital where they later died. The Clark County Coroner’s Office identified them as Danaijha Robinson, 20, and 1-year-old Nhalani Hiner.
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SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A simple moment watching a child laugh changed everything for Ivan Gonzalez.
Eight years ago, Gonzalez was working at the Ronald McDonald House when he had an idea to throw a birthday carnival for the kids staying there.
“Let’s do a carnival, birthday carnival for the kids,” he said.
MORE | Pay It Forward
What happened during that event stuck with him.
“There I was watching this kid play whack-a-mole, just having a blast, laughing,” Gonzalez said. “And then I see his mom kind of with happy tears because he’s enjoying himself.”
That moment led to something bigger.
Gonzalez realized the experience shouldn’t stop with just one event or just one group of kids.
“I said, wait, we can do this not just for kids in the hospital,” he said with excitement.
So he started a nonprofit called Best Seat in the House, which creates events and experiences for children who often face difficult circumstances.
“We provide events and experiences for disadvantaged kids,” Gonzalez said.
The organization serves children battling cancer and other medical conditions, refugee children, kids living in poverty, those in foster care and children with special needs.
“These kids grow up too fast,” Gonzalez said.
For Gonzalez, the mission is deeply personal.
“I grew up very poor,” he said.
He remembers the people who stepped in for his family when they needed it most.
“The local church, we weren’t even a part of it,” he described. “My parents couldn’t afford Christmas gifts and I still remember the gifts they gave me. They didn’t even know me.”
Today, he hopes to create that same feeling for other children through his nonprofit.
“Kids live in poverty and they don’t know where the next meal is coming from, let alone going to a play or to a game,” Gonzalez said.
But for Gonzalez, the reward isn’t the events themselves, it’s the joy they create.
“You can give me a billion dollars, all the money in the world,” he says as tears roll down his face. “I won’t trade these opportunitieskids just enjoying life.”
Because of his work giving back, KUTV and Mountain America Credit Union surprised Gonzalez with a Pay it Forward gift to help him continue creating those moments for kids across Utah.
For more information on supporting Best Seat in the House, click here.
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