TOPEKA — Breaking new reporting from the Kansas City Star reveals that Republican candidate for governor Ty Masterson’s campaign is being bankrolled by a company tied to the 7-OH industry – also referred to as “gas station heroin” – while he falsely claims that he’s leading the charge against the dangerous substance.
According to The Star, Masterson accepted an $8,000 campaign contribution – the maximum amount possible – from Shaman Botanicals, a Kansas City-based company tied to the booming 7-OH industry. The article describes 7-OH as a powerful “gas station opioid” that researchers say may be more addictive than the kratom leaves it comes from.
After taking the money, Masterson publicly condemned 7-OH as “dangerous and addictive” and praised the Legislature’s move to classify kratom and 7-OH as Schedule I controlled substances. But when asked by The Star, Masterson’s campaign said he is not planning to return or donate the $8,000 contribution.
Masterson’s campaign wants Kansans to believe he never met with Shaman officials and did not know the company had donated to his campaign. But Shaman President Vince Sanders told The Star he discussed Kansas’ approach to regulating 7-OH and cannabis-infused products with Masterson and other legislative leaders.
Statement from Hans Torgerson, spokesperson for the Kansas Democratic Party:
“Ty Masterson embodies everything Kansans hate about politics: hypocrisy, backroom dealing, and saying whatever is convenient to get ahead. He wants Kansans to believe he is tough on dangerous drugs, but when a company tied to the same industry he now condemns cuts him a check, his so-called principles go out the window. Kansans deserve a governor with real values, not one whose principles can be bought and sold to the highest bidder.”
Read the full story:
By Matthew Kelly
May 1, 2026
Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson isn’t planning to return or donate the $8,000 that his campaign for governor received last December from a Kansas City-based company on the forefront of the booming 7-OH industry.
Masterson... was gifted the maximum corporate donation under Kansas law from Shaman Botanicals on Dec. 31, Secretary of State records show.
That company is a subsidiary of CBD American Shaman, the nationwide retail empire run by Vince Sanders, who claims credit for developing 7-OH, a potent gas station opioid that researchers consider to be more addictive than the kratom leaves it is derived from.
The campaign donation from Shaman came in the days before lawmakers convened in Topeka for the 2026 session. Shaman cut Masterson an $8,000 check three weeks after contributing $3,000 to House Speaker Dan Hawkins’ campaign for insurance commissioner.
“Unfortunately, what’s right for the people is not what’s done,” Sanders added. “It’s what’s right for the politician at the given moment. ‘Hey, I get political capital from this, so this is the side that I’m going to be on.’ Behind closed doors, they’ll apologize to you.”
Referencing Masterson and Hawkins, Sanders said he has “talked to them” about Kansas’ approach to regulating 7-OH and cannabis-infused products that Shaman also manufactures and distributes.
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