Certain strains of kratom can be bought legally in gas stations, vape shops, and convenience stores.
Local law enforcement is raising the alarm on kratom after Northwest Florida has seen nine deaths related to the plant-based product.
The product contains 7-Hydroxymitragynine, known as 7-OH. In its raw form, kratom is legal. Though more concentrated forms of kratom with higher levels of 7-OH are illegal.
Sheriff Eric Aden in Okaloosa County warns against all of it.
According to Florida's District 1 Medical Examiner's Office, the Northwest Florida area has seen nine kratom-related overdose deaths this year. That includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties.
"We've had nine deaths in our circuit just since May that are from these over-the-counter products," Aden said.
According to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, deputies believe half of those deaths are in the county.
"As of Sep. 28 of 2026, we've had 9, two overdoses, and four overdoses where the user passed," Sheriff Randy Tifft said.
Certain strains of kratom can be bought legally in gas stations, vape shops, and convenience stores.
"Kratom, there's two versions out there," Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said. "There's a green leafy version, which is lower concentrated. And then there's the concentrated version, or the gummies or oils and that sort of thing, which has a high level of what they call 7-OH. And that is what really affects individuals. That's at a higher levels, these attract to the same rain, opioid receptors as opioids do. And that's why it can be so dangerous."
Sheriff Aden says Northwest Florida is still seeing an illegal amount of 7-OH come back in toxicology reports after overdoses.
"And then in the 7-OH, which is what we have found in the deaths that we've had in our area," said Aden. "And those are a semi-synthetic, but also plant-based derived, which is kratom. It's an alkaloid, and it is 13 times stronger than morphine."
Aden compares it to the spice epidemic.
"This kind of goes back to the spice when we had the bath salts and all that. But you didn't typically die from that," Aden said. "Just kind of went crazy and we're seeing a lot of uptick in the mental health, in our Baker Acts and stuff. And many of those people are suffering from the effects of Delta 8. But this product, unlike that, where you just might lose your mind or maybe temporarily, this stuff's actually killing you."
Chief Deputy Tifft says oftentimes, people are mixing legal kratom with other drugs.
"When these mixtures come out, and a lot of them come across the counter, and they mix a lot of different chemicals together, and a lot of times those chemicals themselves are not illegal," Tifft said. "But when you formulate them together, they become an illegal substance that allows people to get high."
Aden's message is simple.
"I wouldn't buy it, I wouldn't use anything like that," Aden said. "It would scare me. I mean anything synthetic, that's you know a plant-based synthetic, is gonna give you a euphoric feel that we're telling you could kill you, I certainly would not use it."
Simmons advises people to know the difference between what's legal and what's not.
"I think it's important to differentiate the leafy substance, which can create a stimulation," Simmons said. "And then there is the others, which is the higher concentration, the 7-OH, which can act as an opioid to the brain. And that's where you can get in trouble, certainly when they mix these chemical types of compounds."
Right now, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is working on a field test to identify high concentrations of 7-OH.
Aden believes that will be the key in filing criminal charges for drug dealers. He says there are already criminal charges pending for some.
You can watch each sheriff's interview below:
ADEN
SIMMONS
TIFFT
