Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier provided an update on the state's crackdown on 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products during a press conference in Jacksonville, announcing that nearly 18,000 products have been removed across Florida.
“Thanks to our emergency rule and the hard work of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, nearly 18,000 dangerous 7-OH products have been wiped off the shelves,” Uthmeier said. “We will continue to protect our kids from this poison that carries a high risk for abuse and death.”
Uthmeier's announcement comes after issuing a statewide ban on synthetic kratom just last month.
Florida Agricultural Commissioner Wilton Simpson also spoke at the press conference, indicating the state's crackdown was far from complete. Simpson made a similar announcement on the state's mission to remove 7-OH earlier this month.
“Florida is leading the nation in cracking down on dangerous kratom-derived 7-OH," Simpson said. "We’ve already taken nearly 18,000 of these illegal products off the shelves, and we’re not stopping."
7-OH is a chemical compound found naturally in the kratom plant, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. While levels are often low in kratom leaves, synthetic 7-OH found in extracts, shots, powders, or capsules is much more powerful and possibly addictive.
The compound is also often deceptively placed in colorful or fancy packaging, making it appealing to teens and young adults.
“Our new emergency rule also forces manufacturers and retailers to show exactly how much 7-OH is in their products. No more vague labels, no more hiding," Simpson expressed. "Working with Attorney General Uthmeier and Sheriff Waters, we’re making it clear: Florida will always protect our kids, families, and communities from dangerous drugs like 7-OH.”
Stressing its danger, 7-OH has been classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, similar to heroin or LSD.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters added, “7-OH quietly entered our communities, but its impact has been loud and destructive." “This dangerous substance has threatened the health and well-being of Jacksonville families, and it has no place on our streets."
