The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to temporarily ban 7-OH, a component of kratom with opioid-like effects. The ban would apply to products containing over a specific threshold of 7-OH and would be in effect for two years, with the potential for extension. The DEA claims 7-OH poses severe risks to public health. The move is a win for the mainstream kratom industry, which has lobbied for its regulation.
Kratom is a Southeast Asian plant with analgesic and antidepressant properties. Natural kratom contains trace amounts of 7-OH, but unregulated 7-OH products have become popular in recent years. Critics have dubbed these products “gas station heroin” due to their potential for addiction.
The DEA’s proposed ban has been praised by kratom lobbyists, who argue that it will end the debate over the safety of chemically manipulated 7-OH opioids. Wararka.so…
