Stop Gas Station Heroin Coalition Applauds FDA for Recommending Scheduling of Dangerous 7-OH Gas Station Heroin Products
The Stop Gas Station Heroin coalition today applauded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for recommending a scheduling action to control certain 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine) opioid products under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
7-OH is a chemical compound that occurs naturally in only trace amounts in the kratom leaf. Yet, the 7-OH products being sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores across the country are not natural. Instead, they are the result of bad actors isolating that trace compound from the leaf and supercharging it into an addictive drug up to 30 times more potent than morphine.
This recommendation marks a major milestone in the federal government's effort to curb the rise of Gas Station Heroin — an umbrella term for harmful substances that include high dose mitragynine isolates, 7-hydroxymitragynine isolates, tianeptine, nitrous oxide, and intoxicating hemp compounds — and prevent the next wave of the opioid epidemic.
'This FDA action is a tremendous step toward ending the Gas Station Heroin crisis that is robbing everyday Americans of their health,' said Dr. Nicole Avena, a Stop Gas Station Heroin board member and associate professor of neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (formerly, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine). 'By moving to schedule 7-OH, the FDA has taken bold action to protect consumers from dangerous synthetic opioids.'
The FDA made it clear to distinguish that its action is targeted at concentrated 7-OH products and not at the natural kratom leaf, which has been used safely for centuries and remains outside the scope of this recommendation.
'This is a huge win for science, common sense, and consumers,' said Dr. Avena. 'The FDA has drawn a clear line: 7-OH is an unapproved, dangerous opioid — not a dietary supplement. We now urge the DEA to act quickly to adopt the FDA's recommendation and ensure 7-OH is scheduled without delay.'
As the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reviews the FDA's recommendation, the coalition urges swift scheduling of 7-OH to protect families and communities across the country. Only then can we finally end the scourge of Gas Station Heroin in American communities.
To learn more about Stop Gas Station Heroin and its mission, navigate to stopgasstationheroin.com.
About Stop Gas Station Heroin
Stop Gas Station Heroin is a national coalition that aims to educate consumers about harmful synthetic drugs and advocate for smart regulation that distinguishes between legitimate, natural botanicals and dangerous, synthetic drugs, combined with enforcement of current federal laws around unapproved drugs. To learn more, navigate to stopgasstationheroin.com.
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SOURCE: Stop Gas Station Heroin
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