FDA looks to restrict synthetic opioids sold at gas stations

Jul 30, 2025 at 11:46 AM CDT

Shea Taylor, Craig Nigrelli

The Food and Drug Administration is looking to crack down on synthetic opioids known as 7-OH that are readily available at gas stations, convenience stores and vape shops. — Image credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

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Summary

Gas station opioids

The Food and Drug Administration is looking to crack down on synthetic opioids known as 7-OH that are readily available at gas stations, convenience stores and vape shops.

Linked to kratom

Seven-OH is a concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant that binds to the body’s opioid receptors. While often marketed as kratom, the FDA says it is not the same as products derived from natural kratom leaf.

‘More potent than morphine’

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary says 7-OH is “more potent than morphine” and that regulation and public education are needed “to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.”

Full story

The Food and Drug Administration is looking to crack down on a synthetic opioid product that Commissioner Marty Makary describes as “more potent than morphine.” The product is now readily available at gas stations, convenience stores and vape shops across the country.

Marketed as energy supplements derived from the kratom plant, the FDA wants to classify products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, as drugs regulated under the Controlled Substances Act.

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What is 7-OH?

In a press release, the FDA said it’s specifically targeting the 7-OH concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant. The agency says it is “increasingly recognized as having potential for abuse because of its ability to bind to opioid receptors.”

“Seven-OH is not just like an opioid,” Makary said during a press conference on July 19. “It does not just have opioid binding properties. 7-OH binds to the Mu-receptor, which means, scientifically, by definition, it is an opioid. And yet it is sold in vape stores, in smoke shops and convenience stores and gas stations that are popping up all over the United States, and nobody knows what it is.”

Today, the FDA is taking a bold step to protect Americans from dangerous, illegal opioids by recommending a scheduling action to control certain 7-hydroxymitragynine (also known as 7-OH) products under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). https://t.co/L2tXFR8VxW

This… pic.twitter.com/BZlr0u1YRH
— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) July 29, 2025

The FDA also released a report aimed at educating people on the difference between 7-OH kratom products and those derived only from the natural kratom leaf.

What does it mean to schedule a drug?

The government schedules drugs by listing them in one of five categories, based on their potential for abuse, acceptable medical use and likelihood of dependence.

Schedule I drugs have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Examples include heroin, LSD, marijuana and ecstasy.

Schedule V includes frequently used medicines, such as Robitussin AC, that contain small amounts of codeine.

The other schedules cover drugs — some legal, some illegal — that have varying degrees of addictiveness.

Currently, the government does not regulate 7-OH products, which manufacturers widely sell in various forms, including tablets, gummies, drink mixes and shots.

The FDA raised concerns about these products because they can attract children and teenagers, especially when companies sell them as gummy candies and label them as kratom.

The FDA’s recommendation on 7-OH now goes to the DEA, which will make a final decision on whether to regulate the substance.

Shea Taylor

Shea Taylor is a producer at Straight Arrow News. She helps produce Unbiased Updates to bring viewers the news they need to start their day.

Craig Nigrelli is an anchor and reporter for Straight Arrow News.

Tags: Department of Health and Human Services, Drug Enforcement Administration, Drugs, FDA, Health, Opioid Crisis, Opioids, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

[Craig Nigrelli]

THEY’RE READILY AVAILABLE AT YOUR NEAREST GAS STATION, CONVENIENCE STORE, OR VAPE SHOP – BUT THEY’RE OPIOIDS THAT ARE “MORE POTENT THAN MORPHINE,” ACCORDING TO THE HEAD OF THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION.

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ENERGY SUPPLEMENTS DERIVED FROM THE KRATOM (kray-tum) TREE AND COMMONLY KNOWN AS 7-O-H.

THE F-D-A IS NOW PUSHING TO RESTRICT 7-O-H PRODUCTS BY SCHEDULING IT UNDER THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT.

SCHEDULING A DRUG IS WHEN THE GOVERNMENT PLACES IT INTO ONE OF FIVE CATEGORIES BASED ON ITS POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE, ACCEPTABLE MEDICAL USE, AND LIKELIHOOD OF DEPENDENCE.

SCHEDULE 1 DRUGS – SUCH AS HEROIN OR COCAINE – ARE COMPLETELY ILLEGAL, WHILE SCHEDULE 5 DRUGS INCLUDE PRODUCTS LIKE ROBITUSSIN COUGH SYRUP THAT CONTAIN CODEINE.

RIGHT NOW, 7-O-H PRODUCTS ARE COMPLETELY UNREGULATED AND THEY ARE WIDELY SOLD IN MANY FORMS – FROM TABLETS AND GUMMIES TO DRINK MIXES AND SHOTS.

DR. MARTY MAKARY, FDA COMMISSIONER

“7-OH is not just like an opioid. It does not just have opioid binding properties. 7-OH binds to the MU receptor, which means scientifically, by definition, it is an opioid. And yet it is sold in vape stores, in smoke shops and convenience stores and gas stations that are popping up all over the United States, and nobody knows what it is.”

THE F-D-A SAYS THESE PRODUCTS ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNING, BECAUSE THEY CAN APPEAL TO KIDS AND TEENS – ESPECIALLY WHEN SOLD IN GUMMY CANDY FORM – AND BECAUSE THEY’RE OFTEN MARKETED AS KRATOM.

WHILE 7-O-H **IS** A DERIVATIVE OF KRATOM… IT IS **NOT** THE SAME AS PRODUCTS MADE WITH NATURAL KRATOM LEAF – A DISTINCTION THE F-D-A SAYS MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

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Why this story matters

Federal health officials are seeking to regulate the synthetic opioid 7-hydroxymitragynine, which is currently unregulated and widely sold, due to concerns about its potency, abuse potential and risks to youth.

Synthetic opioid regulation

The FDA proposes classifying 7-hydroxymitragynine as a controlled substance, citing its opioid properties and increasing availability in consumer products without oversight.

Youth access and public safety

According to the FDA, these products are particularly concerning because they are sold in forms appealing to young people, like gummies, and are marketed in accessible venues such as gas stations.

Kratom product differentiation

The FDA highlights the need to distinguish between traditional kratom leaf products and concentrated synthetic derivatives like 7-OH, which have different risks and legal statuses.

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Synthesized coverage insights across 83 media outlets

Behind the numbers

FDA reports indicate that 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) is up to 13 times more potent than morphine, with the cost per serving reported as low as $3.97. Overdose deaths linked to synthetic opioids remain at over 80,000 annually in 2024.

Context corner

Kratom, originating in Southeast Asia, has been used for centuries for its stimulant and relief properties, but concentrated derivatives like 7-OH are a recent phenomenon paralleling broader synthetic opioid trends in the US.

Policy impact

If implemented, the Schedule I classification of 7-OH would make its sale and possession illegal, primarily affecting manufacturers, retailers, and consumers who rely on enhanced kratom products for perceived medical benefits.

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Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left frame the FDA’s action on kratom-related products as a proactive "crack down" aimed at consumer protection, emphasizing regulatory rigor while cautioning against conflating natural kratom with harmful synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine.
Media outlets in the center adopt a more neutral tone, underscoring scientific distinctions without intense rhetoric.
Media outlets on the right deploy alarmist language like "gas station heroin" and "deadly substance," spotlighting 7-OH as an urgent public health threat demanding swift scheduling, often casting critics as influenced by "Big Pharma."

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Media landscape

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83 total sources

Key points from the Left

U.S. health officials are warning about 7-hydroxymitragynine, an opioid-like ingredient in products sold at convenience stores, recommending a nationwide ban due to health risks.
The FDA noted that 7-OH is distinct from natural kratom leaf products, and they recommend placing it on a list of illegal drugs for safety concerns.
The American Kratom Association opposes stricter regulations, claiming kratom may be safer than opioid painkillers, while the FDA supports regulation for consumer safety.

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Key points from the Center

On July 29, U.S. health officials proposed adding 7-hydroxymitragynine , a compound found in kratom, to the list of Schedule I controlled substances.
This action responds to rising concerns about synthetic 7-OH products that mimic opioids and pose health risks, unlike largely unregulated natural kratom.
The FDA previously sent warning letters on July 15 to seven companies marketing concentrated 7-OH in tablets, gummies, and drinks, stating these products may be dangerous.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary emphasized that the focus is on the synthetic opioid derivative 7-hydroxymitragynine because of its addictive qualities, rather than on the natural kratom leaf or its ground form.
The scheduling is intended to protect consumers from harmful synthetic products while preserving safe access to natural kratom used regularly by over 24 million Americans.

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Key points from the Right

The Food and Drug Administration has requested that 7-hydroxymitragynine, known as 7-OH, be classified as a controlled substance due to its opioid-like effects and potential for abuse.
Health officials warn that 7-OH poses serious risks of addiction and respiratory depression.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has described 7-OH as a "sleeper threat" requiring regulation to prevent another opioid epidemic.
The FDA emphasizes that the kratom plant itself is not the target of their regulations, focusing instead on the concentrated derivative 7-OH.

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