TALLAHASSEE, FL.According to his office, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier submitted an emergency rule on Wednesday to classify a particular medicine as a Schedule I restricted substance in the state.
The narcotic, known as 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), is prohibited from being sold, possessed, or even distributed in any isolated or concentrated form, according to a statement from state officials.
According to Uthmeier, Florida is immediately removing 7-OH from the market due to the risk it poses to the general public. This harmful drug, which has a significant risk of abuse and mortality, is sold to teenagers and young adults.
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The FDA states that 7-OH is a part of the plant kratom, which has been used to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, sleeplessness, diarrhea, migraines, and withdrawal from opioid addiction.
Regulators are worried about possible abuse because it has also been used recreationally to create euphoric effects. Additionally, FDA authorities cautioned that no prescription or over-the-counter medication products containing kratom or 7-OH have received FDA approval.
Although kratom contains minor levels of 7-OH, the compound has also been concentrated to create potentially harmful items including pills, candies, drink mixes, and shots, according to FDA officials.
According to experts, customers have been able to purchase items with concentrated doses of 7-OH online as well as through gas stations, corner stores, and vape shops. This led the FDA to start targeting 7-OH opioid products last month.
Every neighborhood in America is seeing a rise in vape shops, many of which sell addictive goods like concentrated 7-OH. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary stated, “We cannot be caught off guard again after the last wave of the opioid epidemic.” One opioid that has the potential to be more powerful than morphine is 7-OH. Regulation and public awareness campaigns are necessary to stop the opioid pandemic from spreading.
According to a letter sent by Florida state officials on Wednesday, kratom use has been associated with an increase in ER visits and serious health events, particularly among those under 25.
According to the statement, the emergency order has caused Florida law to classify items containing 7-OH in the same category as heroin, LSD, and fentanyl analogs, which are chemicals with a high potential for abuse and no recognized medicinal value.
Accordingly, the order gives law enforcement and other regulatory authorities the authority to begin removing these products from stores throughout the state, according to state officials.
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