Ole Miss deaths: Charges center on banned synthetic kratom compound, not plain kratom

Federal prosecutors on Friday charged a store clerk and his son in Oxford, Mississippi, with selling pills they say contained a banned synthetic kratom compound, in an investigation tied to the death of a University of Mississippi student, according to the Associated Press.

The case has put a spotlight on kratom. But the product at the center of the charges is not the plain kratom leaf sold in many states. Here is what is known, and what is not.

## What happened

Two University of Mississippi students were found dead on Sept. 21 in separate locations, one on campus and one off campus, AP reported. Authorities have said both deaths appear consistent with drug overdoses, but toxicology reports are still pending.

On Friday, the U.S. Attorney's office announced that a 51-year-old clerk at a vape, tobacco and beer store in Oxford and his 18-year-old son each face one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, according to AP and ABC News. ABC News reported that the federal charges are connected to one student's death; no federal charges have been filed in connection with the second.

According to ABC News, bank records showed that student made purchases from the shop in September. Investigators executed a search warrant on Sept. 24 and seized more than 500 units of suspected kratom products. Both men were first arrested that day on state charges.

AP reported that a magistrate judge ruled Thursday there was sufficient evidence to charge them. Local narcotics investigators said the investigation remains active and more charges are possible.

## The pills were not ordinary kratom

AP reported that the pills were labeled "Smax" and that at least one of three kratom-related compounds the Drug Enforcement Administration banned in August was listed as an ingredient in products seized from the store and from the student's room.

Kratom is a plant from Southeast Asia. Its leaves contain mitragynine and trace amounts of a related chemical called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH. The Food and Drug Administration has warned that manufacturers are now selling products with 7-OH "as an added ingredient or at enhanced levels," in forms like gummies, tablets and drink shots.

The DEA order, published in the Federal Register and effective Aug. 26, temporarily places three semi-synthetic derivatives in Schedule I, the most restrictive federal drug category: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16. The order does not schedule natural kratom leaf, mitragynine or 7-OH itself.

## Why the DEA acted

The Federal Register order cites 56 overdose cases involving mitragynine pseudoindoxyl between February 2025 and May 2026, 48 of them fatal, and 17 overdose cases involving MGM-15 between February and April 2026, 16 of them fatal.

It also cites a rise in kratom exposure calls to poison centers from 258 in 2015 to 3,434 in 2025.

The FDA says it has found no products containing 7-OH to be safe and effective for treating pain, anxiety, opioid withdrawal or any other condition. It lists reported harms including addiction, seizures and withdrawal symptoms.

## What is still unknown

It is not yet clear whether the substances contributed to either student's death, AP reported. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said two state agencies are working to speed up the toxicology reports.

The charges are accusations. Both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

## What it means for you

Kratom's legal status depends on where you live. AP reported that kratom is legal at the federal level but banned in 11 states, and the city of Oxford has banned its sale since 2019, according to ABC News.

Under the DEA order, possessing any amount of the three scheduled compounds is now illegal nationwide. Products are sold under many brand names, and labels may not clearly show what is inside.

The FDA says these products are sold online and at smoke shops, gas stations and corner stores. If you or someone you know has a bad reaction, the FDA directs people to call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.