Latest news with #vapeshop
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Officials warn the next opioid epidemic could come from substance sold at vape shops for less $10
Public health experts and officials have trained their sights on a new vape shop staple they fear could spur the next wave of the opioid epidemic. Department of Health and Human Services made a formal proposal to the DEA to classify 7-OH, a component of the pain reliever kratom, as a Schedule 1 substance, alongside heroin, LSD, and other drugs with no accepted medical use. While natural kratom contains only trace amounts of 7-OH, manufacturers have begun chemically isolating and concentrating it into a synthetic opioid-like drug estimated to be 10 to 13 times more potent than morphine. These ultra-potent extracts, often sold as gummies, shots and pills, now flood gas stations and vape shops with spotty age restrictions. FDA Commissioner Dr Marty Makary said: '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.' The FDA's move was quickly followed by the Florida state attorney general James Uthmeier's decision to ban selling, having, or sharing 7-OH altogether, citing an 'immediate danger to the public health, safety and welfare.' The announcement makes Florida the first state to ban products containing 7-OH, which could set off a nationwide domino effect with more and more states following suit. 7-OH is a relative newcomer, and data on deaths are not well documented, but poison control center reports suggest it is growing rapidly more popular. The Pennsylvania Department of Health issued a warning earlier this month about it, noting 'increased call volume around both kratom and 7-OH consumption.' Pressed about 7-OH overdose risks, Makary cited scarce data and doctors' inability to identify it, while still calling the compound a 'killer,' far deadlier than plain kratom. The federal government has not tracked any deaths due to 7-OH specifically, though at least one has occurred. Matthew Torres, a 39-year-old Oregon carpenter, died from violent seizures in May 2021 after using kratom to manage chronic pain. His girlfriend found him foaming at the mouth at their Beavercreek home. The coroner ruled his death was caused by 'toxic effects of mitragynine (7-OH).' His mother Mary Torres is now pursuing a $10M wrongful death lawsuit against the smoke shop that sold it, alleging they failed to warn about risks. Jordan McKibban, 37, died in 2022 after consuming kratom powder purchased from an organic store, believing it to be a natural pain remedy. His death certificate listed 'toxic effects of mitragynine (kratom)' as the cause. Kratom has been used traditionally in Southeast Asia for centuries, and commercially sold in the US for decades as dried leaves or powders. Many states have different laws about the sale of kratom, limiting it to people either 18 and up or 21 and up. No federal age restrictions exist for 7-OH sales. Enforcement relies entirely on individual businesses. Most vendors voluntarily require ID for customers to confirm they are 18 and up or 21 and up, but this isn't mandated by law. 'We're not targeting the kratom leaf or ground-up kratom,' Makary said. 'We are targeting a concentrated synthetic byproduct that is an opioid.' While 7-OH is naturally present in small amounts from 0.6 percent to 0.7 percent on average in kratom leaves, modern extraction techniques have made it possible to create highly concentrated products, including shots, pills, and gummies. 7-OH tablets, for example, are pre-measured dosage forms containing concentrated amounts of the compound, typically ranging from 5mg to 22mg per tablet. An FDA-led report on 7-OH cited mounting research showing the extract acts like an opioid, hijacking the same brain receptors as morphine or prescription painkillers. In multiple experiments, 7-OH triggered strong 'mu-opioid' effects, the same pathway targeted by drugs like oxycodone, often with 13 times the potency of morphine and nearly double the strength of kratom's primary compound, mitragynine. When tested on cells and animal tissue, 7-OH behaved like a full opioid agonist, meaning it does not just mildly activate these receptors; it switches them on entirely, setting the stage for repeat, problem use in the future. The FDA's report added that 7-OH's effects were reversed with the anti-overdose nasal spray naloxone. Florida AG Uthmeier cited the FDA's findings in his decision to schedule the substance. He said: 'We are taking emergency action now because we see immediate danger. Last week the FDA commissioner issued a warning about 7-OH, putting people on notice to the dangers, calling on states to observe and take action where necessary. 'So here in Florida, we are not going to rest on our laurels. We move fast. We want to help lead the way when it comes to public safety.' By designating the potent kratom extracts as Schedule I drugs, the state now ranks them alongside heroin, LSD, and illegal fentanyl, deeming them equally dangerous with zero medical value. The emergency rule grants law enforcement and regulators immediate authority to raid gas stations and smoke shops statewide, seizing the products. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, appearing alongside Uthmeier, told business owners to 'get it off your shelves.' 'We are going to be very aggressive,' he added. Makary, in turn, celebrated Uthmeier's decision in 'fighting back and educating Floridian parents, law enforcement professionals, teachers and community leaders about this threat to public health.' He added: 'I encourage other states to act now and use common sense regulation to safeguard the well-being of our youth and Make America Healthy Again.' Florida's decision to explicitly ban 7-OH is unprecedented, though several other states, including Colorado, Mississippi, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah have different restrictions on the concentration of 7-OH in the products. 'I am very supportive of people seeking alternatives outside of traditional Western medicine for wellness,' Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said. 'Our problem here is not with kratom. The problem today is with 7-OH. We don't need any more substances that disconnect people from reality.'
BBC News
06-08-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Many Derbyshire retailers 'not aware of disposable vape ban'
Trading Standards officers in Derbyshire have seized almost 2,500 disposable vapes since a nationwide ban came into force on 1 June. The ban applies to all retailers, including online stores, and prohibits the sale of both nicotine and non-nicotine disposable vapes, with the primary aim of reducing environmental damage and addressing addiction in young working across Derbyshire said they have come across retailers who said they "did not know" the ban was in Rees, Trading Standards manager at Derbyshire County Council, said: "Over the last four to five years, vapes have become an issue and with the ban we've had to divert resources." One vape shop owner in Derby, who did not want to be identified, said he was aware of other shops selling them under the counter and still gets customers coming into his shop asking for disposables. The shop owner said vape manufacturers have adapted to produce similar products which mimic disposable vapes but are compliant with the rule changes. These devices look similar but are rechargeable and pre-filled nicotine pods are replaced at the top of the device when he added the disposable vapes were a "money-maker" and that his profits have dropped by 25% since the ban."You get offers to sell them for a discounted price but it's against the law," he said."I play by the rules but others don't... they are popular and people still want to buy them. "What's being sold is stock left over [before the ban] and shops actively getting them in from elsewhere." Between April 2024 and March 2025, before the ban came in, enforcement work from the Trading Standards team led to 6,000 vapes being seized from 32 out of 44 shops council said most were down to devices being in excess of the 2ml tank size or "600 puffs".Since the ban on 1 June, 2,418 disposable vapes have been seized in the county, mainly from stores in Ilkeston, Chesterfield and council also said there were 22 test purchases carried out during the last 12 months which resulted in four sales to young people - mainly in Chesterfield. Mr Rees added enforcement officers are still seizing vapes with nicotine levels of 5% - more than double the strength of what is legislated in the UK. 'Flouting the law' On how enforcement action has changed, Mr Rees said: "What we'd pick up is vapes that typically have a tank size containing in excess of the 2ml, which is law, and sometimes in excess of the legal limit of nicotine at 2%."We now come across disposable vapes that should not be on sale after 1 June, which we have seized. "We think this might be for a number of reasons, one of which is retailers simply not being aware of the ban having come in, through to deliberately flouting the law."Others are trying to get rid of old stock and thought they were able to do that, which of course they aren't, and others are actively sourcing them from other parts of the country trying to sell them."Due to the ban only coming into force in the last few months, enforcement officers in Derbyshire are initially being more lenient and urge compliance. But repeated offences will result in "more formal action".
CBS News
23-07-2025
- CBS News
Several Denver metro area vape shops hit in coordinated burglary spree, one business owner says it's "devastating"
A small business in Centennial is facing a major setback two months after opening. Pyre Vape and Glass was one of several vape shops across the Denver metro area targeted in a string of coordinated overnight burglaries. Surveillance footage from Pyre shows thieves ramming a stolen vehicle through the storefront around 1:50 a.m. on July 17. Several masked suspects are seen entering the store seconds after the crash. They use laundry baskets to sweep up disposable vapes and flavored nicotine products before exiting through the wrecked storefront. A stolen getaway car was parked out front. "It was devastating," said owner Matthew Mikulas. "We're a small businesses. This isn't Walmart or Target. We don't have a loss retention program." The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office confirmed that at least four other vape stores in Denver, Englewood, Lakewood and Aurora were hit that same night, all using a similar method of entry and targeting similar products. Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office told CBS News Colorado the cases are believed to be linked and carried out by a group of young suspects -- possibly teens -- using stolen vehicles. They believe at least one of the individuals was armed, using the flashlight on a pistol to scan the store. Mikulas says the group appeared organized and targeted products popular with young buyers, especially flavored nicotine devices like Geek Bars. "They knew what they were doing. They knew they only had three to four minutes," he said. "And I fear they're selling it to underage users. They are probably hitting up their friends, and their groups and their clubs." Mikulas, who is also a cancer survivor, says he's trying to bring safe, compliant alternatives to adult consumers. He estimates the total damage at around $40,000, including destroyed doors, broken display cases and stolen inventory. Thieves didn't just shatter his storefront, but efforts to keep vapes away from minors. "The hardest part is that this industry already fights for legitimacy," he said. "We work hard to check IDs, follow the rules, and provide responsible options. But when criminals use our products to fuel an underground market, it makes us look like the bad guys." Despite the setback, Mikulas says he's committed to rebuilding and continuing to serve his customers. "We're still here. We've reordered product, we're fixing the damage, and we'll keep pushing forward. Owning a small business? You don't give up on it." He's also looking into improving storefront security, joining other small business owners who are now installing bollards and reinforced glass after becoming targets of similar crimes. Investigators believe the suspects may be attempting to resell stolen items on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and social media using codewords and anonymous accounts. Anyone with information about the break-ins is asked to contact the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office or Crime Stoppers.
