The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has tentatively approved an ordinance that would restrict or ban the sale of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) — a natural compound found in the kratom plant and used by thousands of Californians for pain relief, anxiety, PTSD, and recovery from opioids and alcohol.
A second and final vote will happen within the next two weeks. If it passes, Riverside County will become another county in California to effectively ban 7-OH products — setting a precedent that could quickly spread statewide – and affects 2.5 million people!
What’s Happening
On October 21, 2025, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to advance an ordinance that targets concentrated or biosynthetic 7-OH products, limiting alkaloid content to 2% and labeling them “synthetic.”
County officials claim this is about preventing “gateway drugs” — but 7-OH is not synthetic, not a gateway, and not an opioid. It’s a naturally occurring metabolite of kratom, created when the body breaks down the plant’s main alkaloid, mitragynine, that people use as an off-ramp, not an on.
The ordinance mirrors flawed proposals previously pushed by industry lobbyists who have admitted they want to eliminate 7-OH as a competitor to their own kratom brands.
Why This Matters
Banning 7-OH will:
Hurt people managing chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, or addiction recovery
Push consumers toward less safe, higher-dose kratom products or prescription opioids
Set the stage for a full kratom ban statewide
HHS has even stated that banning kratom or its components like 7-OH could cause “immediate adverse public health consequences”.
What You Can Do
We need every Riverside County resident to speak up before the final vote.
Call the Supervisors
Be respectful but firm. Ask them to slow down and reconsider this rushed ordinance.
“Please delay or vote NO on the proposed 7-OH ordinance. This will hurt responsible adults, veterans, and patients who rely on natural 7-OH for pain and harm reduction. We support smart regulation — not prohibition — and urge you to revisit or remove the 2% limit.”
Riverside County Supervisors:
Jose Medina (District 1): (951) 955-1010 | district1@rivco.org
Karen Spiegel (District 2): (951) 955-1020 | district2@rivco.org
Chuck Washington (District 3): (951) 955-1030
V. Manuel Perez (District 4): (951) 955-1040
Yxstian Gutierrez (District 5): (951) 955-1050 | district5@rivco.org
Send a Short Email
Follow up your call with a personal message sharing how 7-OH helps you or someone you know.
Ask them to:
Delay the vote until more research is reviewed
Remove or revise the 2% cap, which scientists say is arbitrary and could make products less safe
Work with community advocates and researchers instead of banning access
Stand Up for Safe, Legal Access
Riverside County is home to more than 2.5 million residents — and thousands rely on 7-OH as a safe, legal alternative.
We can stop this ban if enough people speak up before the final hearing.
Call. Email. Share.
Together, we can protect responsible consumers and ensure Riverside County’s leaders make decisions based on science, compassion, and public health — not fear or misinformation.
