Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The US Food and Drug Administration has recommended a scheduling action to control certain 7-hydroxymitragynine (also known as 7-OH1) products that are commonly found in vapes.
The FDA is specifically targeting 7-OH, a concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant that is increasingly recognised as having potential for abuse because of its ability to bind to opioid receptors.
“Today, we’re taking action on 7-OH as a critical step in the fight against opioid addiction,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
“We will protect the health of our nation’s youth as we advance our mission to Make America Healthy Again.”
This recommendation follows a thorough medical and scientific analysis by the FDA, and is one of several efforts to address the agency’s concerns around the growing availability and use of 7-OH opioid products.
There are no FDA-approved 7-OH drugs, 7-OH is not lawful in dietary supplements and 7-OH cannot be lawfully added to conventional foods.
“Vape stores are popping up in every neighborhood in America, and many are selling addictive products like concentrated 7-OH. After the last wave of the opioid epidemic, we cannot get caught flat-footed again,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H.
“7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine. We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.”
The FDA is particularly concerned with the growing market of 7-OH products that may be especially appealing to children and teenagers, such as fruit-flavored gummies and ice cream cones. These products may not be clearly or accurately labeled as to their 7-OH content and are sometimes disguised or marketed as kratom.
The FDA has issued a letter to health care professionals, and has warned consumers about the risks associated with 7-OH products.
