NYC smoke shops sell illegal synthetic kratom, including to underage customers, investigation finds

Eight of 52 New York City smoke shops sold federally banned synthetic kratom, and an underage reporter was offered the product in half of the shops she visited.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sat, 10 Oct 2026 21:28:50 GMT

A Post investigation revealed that eight of 52 New York City smoke shops were selling synthetic kratom compounds classified as Schedule I controlled substances, and an underage reporter was offered the drug in nine of the 18 shops she visited on 8th Avenue.

What happened

During a two‑week sweep, the Post examined 52 smoke‑shop locations citywide and found eight outlets – roughly 15 % – offering products that contained the DEA‑listed synthetics mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI) or dihydro‑7‑hydroxy‑mitragynine (MGM‑15). The agency’s August emergency order placed those chemicals on the federal Schedule I list, exposing sellers to up to 20 years behind bars.

In a separate sting, 20‑year‑old reporter Sidney Blasco went to 18 smoke shops on Manhattan’s 8th Avenue. Seven stores turned her away because she could not prove she was 21, two merely asked her age without checking identification, and nine proceeded without requesting any ID. Blasco did not buy any kratom products.

What the reports add

The first article identifies the exact synthetic variants (MGPI and MGM‑15) and notes the DEA’s emergency order, a detail omitted from the second piece.
The second article documents the under‑age test, showing that many retailers would sell the drug without verifying age, a point not covered in the first report.
Both pieces mention that the products often contain 7‑hydroxymitragynine, a kratom‑derived compound described by officials as “gas‑station heroin.”
The first story cites a specific brand – a Kama product labeled “7‑Hydro+Pseudoindyl” – sold at Blue Dream Convenience.
The second story adds commentary from former ATF official Rich Marianos, who called the shops “bad actors” for ignoring age checks.
Both articles reference the broader national context, including the deaths of two University of Mississippi students and a recent Utah warning about related fatalities.

What was said

“There’s many little smoke shops around, they sell whatever they want because they don’t have the license or anything.” – Rohi Bati, manager of Esmoke on 40th Street and 8th Avenue (NY Post)

“These guys [smoke shops] are such bad actors … So why would you expect them to say, well, ‘are you 21?’ They’re giving all this stuff to kids.” – Rich Marianos, former ATF official and Tobacco Law Enforcement Network executive (NY Post)

“We get people of all ages, including 17‑ to 19‑year‑olds. I suggest they talk to their parents and doctors, and I help them find local resources or free treatment.” – Wendy Chamberlain, founder of Kratom Danger Awareness (NY Post)

How it came about

The probe follows intensified scrutiny of kratom after the September deaths of Ole Miss students Aidan Hamilton and Robert Strang, which spurred federal charges against a Mississippi store clerk and his son for illegal kratom sales. The DEA’s emergency order in August placed the synthetic variants on Schedule I, prompting the Post’s city‑wide sweep to document how the banned substances are reaching New Yorkers.

Key facts

Eight of 52 NYC smoke shops sold synthetic kratom containing MGPI or MGM‑15. (nypost.com)
The synthetic compounds MGPI and MGM‑15 were placed on a federal Schedule I emergency order in August. (nypost.com)
An underage reporter was offered kratom in nine of 18 shops she visited on 8th Avenue; seven refused to sell without ID. (nypost.com)