Attorney General James Uthmeier on Sunday signed an emergency rule immediately placing highly concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH, and several related compounds under Florida’s Schedule I controlled substances list.
The action expands Florida’s ongoing crackdown on products containing concentrated versions of chemicals derived from kratom that state officials say are being marketed in gas stations, vape shops, convenience stores, and online retailers throughout the state.
Uthmeier said the emergency rule was necessary because the products present an immediate danger to Floridians, particularly minors.
“Today I signed an emergency rule because these dangerous concentrated 7-OH products present an imminent hazard to the public safety of Floridians—especially our children and teens,” Uthmeier said.
The emergency rule takes effect immediately and authorizes felony-level criminal enforcement against manufacturers, distributors, and retailers found violating the new restrictions.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said state inspectors have already removed more than 23,000 illegal 7-OH packages from store shelves since Florida began targeting the products.
According to state officials, naturally occurring 7-OH exists only in trace amounts within kratom plants. However, highly concentrated synthetic and chemically modified versions have increasingly appeared in products sold under names such as Hydroxy, 7Tabz, 777 Jackpot Alkaloids, Roxy 7-OH, and 7OHMZ.
Health officials argue the concentrated products behave much differently than traditional kratom products because they strongly activate opioid receptors and carry significant risks of addiction, overdose, respiratory depression, and severe withdrawal symptoms.
State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo described the products as a growing public health concern.
“These highly concentrated products act on opioid receptors and have been linked to addiction, overdose, and seizures,” Ladapo said.
Florida officials cited data indicating medical examiners have linked at least 587 overdose deaths to 7-OH-related substances since 2013. State leaders also pointed to hundreds of Poison Control cases in recent years, with more than one-quarter requiring intensive care treatment.
The rule specifically targets several compounds, including 7-hydroxymitragynine, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, 7-acetoxymitragynine, 9-hydroxycorynantheidine, 10-hydroxycorynantheidine, MGM-15, and MGM-16.
Among the new restrictions:
• Products may not contain more than 1 milligram of the listed compounds per gram in solid products or per milliliter in liquid products.
• Products containing any amount of 7-OH must also contain at least 100 times more regular mitragynine by mass.
• Violations may result in product seizures, business enforcement actions, criminal prosecution, and felony penalties.
State officials noted that violations could carry criminal penalties of up to 30 years in prison.
The emergency rule places Florida among the states taking aggressive action against emerging synthetic and highly concentrated opioid-like compounds as lawmakers and regulators continue searching for ways to address overdose risks and substance abuse concerns.
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The post Uthmeier Expands Florida Crackdown on 7-OH Products With Emergency Schedule I Rule appeared first on Florida Pundit.
