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4 clusters · 10 sources · 21 days · First seen · Last updated

Kratom and 7-OH health and regulatory concerns

Overview

Health officials and addiction specialists have raised concerns regarding the rising use of concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a compound found in the kratom plant. While kratom is derived from the Mitragyna speciosa tree, new products such as tablets, gummies, and extracts contain much higher concentrations of 7-OH than what is found in nature. The FDA has warned that these concentrated products can produce potent opioid-like effects, potentially leading to dependence and withdrawal.

Medical professionals have reported an increase in pregnant patients using kratom, resulting in cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Dr. Angad Madan, medical director of St. Peter’s Addiction Recovery Center, has described kratom as a potent opioid agonist that can be “at least 13 times more potent than morphine.”

At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Justice and the DEA have placed three laboratory-modified opioids derived from kratom—MGPI, MGM-15, and MGM-16—into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act due to risks of addiction and respiratory depression. However, researchers at Rutgers Health warned that such restrictions could hinder medical studies into treatments for pain and opioid dependence.

In a recent development, the U.S. Department of Justice announced revisions to its emergency scheduling guidelines following updated scientific findings from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The DEA plans to issue two new Notices of Intent regarding substances including 7-OH and MGPI. Under proposed HHS recommendations, Schedule I controls would apply if 7-OH or MGPI exceeds specific concentration thresholds in solid or liquid products, or if the ratio of mitragynine to these substances falls below 100 to 1. This approach seeks to distinguish between naturally occurring botanical compounds and manufactured high-concentration products.

Entities

Drug Enforcement Administration · U.S. Department of Justice · Department of Health and Human Services · Rutgers Health · Kathy Hochul

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    US DOJ revises emergency scheduling guidelines for kratom-related substances

    The DOJ is revising federal emergency scheduling guidelines for concentrated kratom-related substances like 7-OH to distinguish between natural botanical compounds and high-concentration products.

  2. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Kratom-derived opioids face federal restrictions amid research concerns

    U.S. authorities have classified three kratom-derived synthetic opioids as Schedule I substances, sparking concerns among researchers regarding the impact on medical studies for pain and addiction treatment.

  3. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Doctors warn of kratom use in pregnancy and newborn withdrawal

    Doctors warn of rising kratom use among pregnant patients, resulting in newborns experiencing withdrawal symptoms. New York lawmakers are moving to ban concentrated 7OH to address these health risks.

  4. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Kratom and 7-OH concentrations raise addiction and safety concerns

    Health officials warn of rising dependence on concentrated 7-OH, a potent compound in kratom, as consumers struggle to find lab-tested and safe products in local retail settings.

Sources

badgerherald.com · it-boltwise.de · legalreader.com · narcotics.com · radiologykey.com · scbh.com · smartmusic.com · wnyt.com · wrnjradio.com · zelusrecovery.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history