Frankfort, KY — The state of Kentucky is moving to classify 7-hydroxymitragynine, more commonly known as 7-OH, as a Schedule I narcotic and will seek to limit its sale and distribution, Gov. Andy Beshear (D) recently announced.
In a recent alert, America’s Poison Centers warns that serious health effects linked to 7-OH are on the rise.
The chemical, which comes from the kratom plant, “has been used for its stimulant and opioid-like effects,” the group says. “Products containing Kratom or 7-OH are sometimes marketed as natural remedies for pain, anxiety or to help with opioid withdrawal.”
The Food and Drug Administration says these products, which haven’t been approved for medical use, are sometimes sold in gas stations and convenience stores.
In a Nov. 5 press release, Steven Stack, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, warns that when kratom is altered to create synthetic opioids, it “becomes a threat to public health.” The release states that 7-OH “is increasingly recognized as having the potential for abuse because of its ability to bind to opioid receptors.” The cabinet is updating regulations to add 7-OH to Schedule I, a category that includes heroin, LSD and fentanyl compounds. This will make the sale, possession or distribution of any isolated or concentrated form of 7-OH illegal.
Once the new classification is final, law enforcement and regulatory agencies can begin removing products from retail shelves statewide.
In May, Beshear announced that overdose deaths in Kentucky fell 30.2% between 2023 and 2024, marking the third straight year of decline.
“That is progress we’re committed to building on as we work to protect more lives in the fight against addiction,” Beshear said. “Deadly and addictive drugs like 7-OH have no place in our communities, and this step will help us get these drugs off the streets and provide us more tools to keep Kentuckians safe.”
