Missouri launches investigation into kratom companies, including American Shaman
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway on Thursday launched a statewide investigation into several kratom manufacturers and retailers, saying her office has reason to believe some companies may be selling dangerously potent, deceptively marketed products that could violate both state and federal law.
“We are deeply concerned that Missourians are being sold drug-like substances under the guise of harmless supplements, with no FDA approval, no safety testing, and in some cases no meaningful disclosure of what these products actually contain,” Hanaway said in a release. “Companies that mislead consumers or place them at risk will be held accountable.”
Six companies received civil investigative demands — legally enforceable requests for records — including CBD Kratom, The Green Dragon CBD, Emporium Smoke Shop and Moonlight Smoke Shop.
Also targeted are two Kansas City–based firms: CBD American Shaman LLC and Shaman Botanicals LLC. As The Star reported in a recent series, those two companies are both owned by local businessman Vince Sanders. They manufacture and distribute a synthetic compound called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, which researchers have found is 13 times more potent than morphine. It is sold at CBD American Shaman retails shops as well as smoke shops and gas stations.
The FDA and HHS announced in July that they were recommending that 7-OH be classified by the DEA as a Schedule I controlled substance alongside drugs like heroin and cocaine. But the DEA has yet to act, and in the meantime 7-OH has remained available at gas stations and smoke shops in most states in the country.
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office said it has collected materials indicating American Shaman and the other targeted businesses may have engaged in “deception, fraud, false promises, misrepresentation, unfair practices” or the concealment of important health and safety information — violations of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. The state also says some products may qualify as unapproved new drugs under federal law, making their sale an unlawful act of commerce.
In a detailed, 29-item request sent to American Shaman’s attorney, Nicholas Porto, the state said it is seeking documents showing how the company manufactures, labels, tests and markets any kratom or 7-OH products it has sold in Missouri. Investigators are demanding ingredient lists, safety claims, adverse-event reports, internal emails, manufacturing protocols, supplier records and any scientific studies the company relied on when asserting the safety of its products. The state is also requiring American Shaman to disclose whether any of its items contain added or isolated 7-OH beyond what occurs naturally in the plant.
A civil investigative demand is similar to a subpoena. It is a tool that allows the attorney general to compel businesses to hand over documents or answer written questions before any lawsuit is filed. Companies must comply by the deadline — in this case, Dec. 19 — unless a court grants relief.
Neither Vince Sanders, the founder of American Shaman, nor Porto responded to requests for comment Thursday night.
Kratom, made from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree, is often marketed as a natural remedy for pain or anxiety. But products sold in Missouri and elsewhere vary widely in potency, and some contain elevated levels of mitragynine and especially 7-OH — compounds that activate the brain’s opioid receptors. Treatment centers in the area have reported a sharp increase in recent months of patients seeking help specifically for dependence on 7-OH products, which counselors describe as triggering withdrawal symptoms that are more severe and quicker to emerge than those associated with traditional kratom.
American Shaman was a central focus of a Kansas City Star three-part investigation earlier this year that examined the company’s role in bringing synthetic 7-OH products into mainstream retail markets.
Hanaway said her office will “follow the facts” and take action if companies misled consumers or failed to disclose risks.
Missourians who believe they were harmed or misled by kratom products can file a complaint through the Attorney General’s website at ago.mo.gov.
