Utah Poison Control Center warns "cat's claw" and kava products may cause opioid overdose; Utah agriculture officials tie Buzzers tablets to a death

The Utah Poison Control Center warned on July 22, 2026, that kava and cat's claw products sold in Utah smoke shops and online may lead to life-threatening opioid overdose, dependence, or withdrawal.

The center said the products are blends of herbal supplements with kava or cat's claw, including brands called "Buzzers" and "Homiez," though it said other brands may be involved.[1] It had received multiple reports of severe overdose and suspected the blends were adulterated with synthetic kratom derivatives — 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, or MGM-16 — which it describes as illegal opioid drugs more potent than morphine.[1] Labels on these products are misleading, the center said: they do not list these drugs as ingredients, and some claim to contain no kratom or 7-OH at all; testing of the products was still underway.[1]

On July 30, 2026, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and the Utah Poison Control Center reported a death and several severe health incidents linked to Buzzers-brand Cat's Claw tablets, with investigations ongoing.[2] Testing found the tablets, sold in multiple flavors, contained mitragynine pseudoindoxyl and MGM-15, compounds the agencies describe as opioid-acting and derived from the kratom plant, and as Schedule I drugs in Utah under Title 58-37-2.[2] The agencies say cat's claw itself is a woody-vine herbal supplement that does not contain kratom's psychoactive compounds and is not expected on its own to cause adverse effects.[2] They also say Utah banned kratom products other than pure-leaf kratom during its 2026 legislative session.[2]

The agencies tell consumers not to buy or use Buzzers Cat's Claw tablets and to safely destroy any on hand; retailers are told to pull the product immediately and contact the department's Specialized Products Division.[2] The department says it is working with retailers and law enforcement to get the mislabeled products off shelves.[2]

For anyone using kava or cat's claw products bought at a smoke shop, the poison control center's advice is to avoid them.[1] If someone is not breathing or cannot be woken, call 911 and give naloxone.[1][2] The center advises talking to an addiction specialist for help treating dependence and withdrawal.[1] Patients experiencing withdrawal from these products may be treated in the usual fashion by providers experienced in addiction management.[2] The center takes reports and questions about these products anytime, 24/7, at 1-800-222-1222, and asks that concerns about kratom-related products also be reported to the Department of Agriculture and Food.[1][2]

The July 22 alert page was later updated, on October 5, 2026, to point to a Utah health officials' warning of fatal overdoses involving illegal cat's claw and kratom products.[1]

References

1. Adulterated Cat's Claw and Kava Products May Cause Opioid Overdose — Utah Poison Control Center
2. Illegal Kratom Product Sold in Utah County Linked to Death in Utah — Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, with the Utah Poison Control Center