Health officials are taking action against the substances that some people call.”Gas station heroin. “The FDA recommends classifying 7-hydroxymitraginine (also known as 7-OH) – a by-product of the plant Kratom – as a Schedule I drug.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty McCurry stressed the importance of ahead of yet another wave of addiction before sweeping the nation. McCurry compared the distribution of 7-OH to the early days of opioid prescribing before doctors could understand the addictive nature of painkillers.
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“Steam shops have appeared in every part of America, many selling addictive products like concentrated 7-OH. After the last wave of the opioid epidemic, we can’t catch flat again,” McCurry said in a statement from the FDA. “7-OH is a stronger opioid than morphine. Regulation and public education are needed to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.”
At a press conference Tuesday, McCurry suggested that public health communities are often late to act against dangerous substances due to “cutting between ivory towers and streets.” He then pondered out loud when experts went to vape because they “affect what we see in the operating room.”
According to the FDA, 7-OH is beginning to be recognized as being abused because of its ability to bind Opioid receptors. Furthermore, the substance is widely available and even fruit-flavored gummies and ice cream cones are available, making it attractive to children and teens. The FDA also warns that 7-OH products “may not be clearly or accurately labeled with regard to 7-OH content and may sometimes be disguised or sold as Kratom.”
“Because of the relationship between 7-OH and the opioid receptor, I’m in favor of this move. It’s essentially an opioid. It’s semi-synthetic and comes from the Kratom plant whose leaves make stimulants. There’s no approval. 7-OH drug Or diet supplements, Dr. Mark Siegel, senior medical analyst at Fox News, told Fox News Digital.
Kennedy spoke about his own battle with heroin addiction. The HHS secretary explained his “Iron Will Power” and how he gave up candy and dessert for years and made him feel like he could do anything until he got heroin.
“I felt I could do anything of my will, but this forced me was absolutely impermeable to my will. Part of the problem was availability. It was too easy to get this drug,” Kennedy said.
He also noted that President Donald Trump’s family is also tackling addiction. The president was calm throughout his life, but his brother, Fred Trump Jr., suffered from alcoholism for most of his life and died at the age of 43.
“I had a brother, Fred, a great guy,” Trump said of his brother in 2017. “But he had problems. He had problems with alcohol. And he says, “Don’t drink, don’t drink.”
Trump listened to his brother at the time because he “respects him” and said, “I’ve never had a drink today.”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin of R-Okla, who attended the press conference, supported the recommendations based on his family’s experience with addiction, but he did not elaborate exactly who he was referring to.
“It’s a life-slaughtering addiction,” Marin said at a press conference Tuesday. He thanked Kennedy on behalf of his family and “every family that dealt with this.”
CDC reported In May, drug overdose deaths in the country fell in 2024. The US “sees 80,391 drug overdose deaths in the US in 2024, a 26.9% decrease from the estimated 110,037 deaths in 2024.” Furthermore, the CDC found that “deaths from overdose containing opioids reduced from an estimated 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024.”
Kratom, a plant derived from 7-OH, is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. The FDA points out that Kratom is often used to self-treat various conditions such as pain, anxiety, and depression. The agency points out that it does not approve any prescription or over-the-counter drug products that contain Kratom or its two major chemical ingredients: Mitragynine and 7-OH.
Serafin Gómez of Fox News contributed to this report.
