California Narcotic Officers’ Association 28245 AVENUE CROCKER STE 230 - SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA 91355-1201 (661) 775-6960 • (877) 775-NARC • FAX (661) 775-1648 WWW.CNOA.ORG President
BOB COOKE
WSIN
1st Vice President
DEVIN CHASE
Torrance PD (Ret.)
2nd Vice President
JAMES APPLEGATE
El Dorado D.A.'s
Office/DEA TF
Sergeant at Arms
JAMES HOFFMAN
San Bernardino Co.
S.D. (Ret.)
Executive Director
JOE STEWART
CNOA
Director of Training
JOHN KENNEY
Orange Co. D.A.’s
(Ret.)
General Counsel
DAVID R.
DEMURJIAN
Huntington Beach
Legislative Counsel
RYAN SHERMAN
Sherman Consulting
Conference Chair
MIKE KENNEDY
SLO Co. D.A.’s (Ret.)
Legislative Chair
ANTHONY MUNOZ
Alameda Co. Sheriff's
Office
Region I Chair
TOM MORENO
San Jose P.D.
Region II Chair
SCOTT BACHMAN
DOJ/BI
Region III Chair
JESSE BRAVO
Irwindale P.D.
Region IV Chair
PAUL PAXTON
San Diego P.D. (Ret.)
Region V Chair
ALEX NAOUM
San Bernardino Co.
S.D.
Region VI Chair
JASON DICKEL
San Luis Obispo P.D.
Region VII Chair
DAVE GARZA
Fresno PD (Ret.)
Region VIII Chair
BRETT LETENDRE
CA ABC
Immediate Past
President
ERNIE COLASSO
Orange Co. D.A.
November 19, 2025
Honorable Mayor Jerry Dyer
Honorable City Council Members
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
Re: Support for Regulating the Sale and Distribution of Kratom and 7-OH Products Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council:
On behalf of the thousands of member of the California Narcotic Officers’ Association (CNOA), I am writing to express our strong support for the proposal to regulate the sale and distribution of kratom & concentrated, synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine products (7- OH) in the City of Fresno.
7-OH, the psychoactive component which occurs naturally in kratom leaves in trace amounts, is now being synthetically concentrated into various products that are sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and other retail and online venues in the city. They are often promoted as dietary supplements claiming to address issues such as pain, anxiety and mood disorders, opioid withdrawal, or general well-being. These products come in various forms such as tablets, gummies, drink mixes, and concentrated liquid shots for drinking, which significantly increase the proven adverse and potentially life-threatening effects.
High doses of concentrated, synthetic 7-OH alone or co-used with alcohol or other sedatives can cause severe respiratory depression and death. Again, 7-OH is entirely unregulated and available for purchase by anyone one - of any age.
Medical research has shown that concentrated, synthetic 7-OH binds to the same receptors in the brain as traditional opioids, creating a risk for dependency, withdrawal, and overdose when combined with other substances. Despite being marketed as a “natural” product, 7- hydroxymitragynine has no approved medical use and is widely recognized by public health authorities as dangerous.
In July, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters to firms for the illegal marketing of concentrated synthetic 7-OH products. The FDA indicated that “7-OH is not lawful in dietary supplements and cannot be lawfully added to conventional foods.
Additionally, there are no FDA-approved drugs containing 7-OH, and it is illegal to market any drugs containing 7-OH. “Consumers who use 7-OH products are exposing themselves to products that have not been proven safe or effective for any use.” Importantly, the federal government recently requested that the Drug Enforcement Agency classify 7-OH as a Schedule I drug, while specifically noting that natural kratom is not being similarly considered.
In August 2025, the County of Orange enacted Ord. 25-014: Prohibiting sale of kratom derivatives. The County of Riverside enacted these same restrictions last month, as did Fresno County yesterday. County of Santa Cruz is expected to follow suit next month. “FOR BETTER NARCOTIC ENFORCEMENT”
We have also worked with a number of cities and counties to adopt ordinances to regulate kratom and prohibit the sale or distribution of concentrated synthetic 7-OH including Huntington Beach, Buena Park, Irvine, Laguna Niguel. Other cities and counties are also preparing similar ordinances throughout the state.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recently issued a news release entitled, Multiple Fatal Overdoses Tied to Synthetic Kratom Compound in Los Angeles County which warned about the dangers posed by this concentrated, synthetic opioid.
The Los Angeles Times covered these deaths and the lack of action by the state legislature.
The CNOA has been active in addressing the recent explosion of the use of kratom and the abuse of concentrated, synthetic 7-OH throughout the state. We have been strong advocates to limit natural kratom sales to only persons 21 and over and prohibit the marketing of natural kratom to children while seeking a ban on concentrated, synthetic 7-OH by outlawing any products that contain 2% or more of 7-OH in the total alkaloid fraction. AB 1088 (Bains) takes this approach and was passed by the full Assembly, with support from all of Fresno County’s Assembly members. The bill currently awaits action in the Senate Health Committee.
The CNOA has no formal position on natural kratom, following the lead of the FDA by raising awareness and advocating to ban concentrated synthetic 7-OH which presents a unique health risk and has been determined to have contributed to numerous deaths On a daily basis, our dedicated members witness first-hand the dangers these substances can pose to our children, families and communities which is why the CNOA urges you to prohibit the sale and distribution of concentrated synthetic 7-OH in Fresno. Taking action now will help prevent future deaths and reduce the risk of harm - especially for our youth.
For these reasons, we respectfully request your support for this proposed ordinance.
Sincerely,
Bob Cooke
President
The California Narcotic Officers' Association mission is to educate the public and our membership on the dangers of narcotic and drug abuse, provide a medium for the exchange of ideas and the new techniques used by both criminals and investigators; and keep the membership and the public informed of current statute changes and judicial decisions. The more than 7,000 members of CNOA include local, state, and federal peace officers, prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, and other national and international associates. “FOR BETTER NARCOTIC ENFORCEMENT”