St. Joseph health officials warn of highly addictive opioid compound being sold in stores
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- The St. Joseph Health Department is alerting the community about an increase in a dangerous and highly addictive opioid being found in retailers known as 7-hydroxymitragynine, a concentrated form of kratom.
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the substance can be 13-times more powerful than morphine or heroin, posing a serious risk for a fatal overdose. It also presents a significant risk of respiratory depression, a dangerous condition where breathing becomes abnormally slow and shallow.
“It's very disturbing that this new concentrated form of kratom can be obtained with no restrictions. It is so powerful that it takes two to three times the medication that we use on patients who are addicted to fentanyl. The nickname for 7-OH is ‘gas station heroin.’ I don't feel that any drug this powerful should be available to the general public,” said Dr. Robert Corder, medical director at the St. Joseph Health Department, in a new release on Thursday.
Small traces of 7-OH tend to occur naturally within the kratom plant, but is now being found in both concentrated and unregulated forms for recreational use in cases of stimulant, sedation or pain relief.
7-OH products are typically sold at public stores such as gas stations, convenience stores and smoke and vape shops, a growing number of which are popping up in St. Joseph. It can be found within powders, beverages, edibles, capsules or beverages along with being packaged as candy or snack based products.
According to the city, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended scheduling action under the Controlled Substances Act for certain products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine. Neither kratom nor 7-OH has an FDA-approved medical use. In early December, federal authorities seized approximately 73,000 units from warehouses, including two in the Kansas City area.
The St. Joseph Health Department strongly recommends residents to consult a healthcare provider before using supplements marketed for pain, energy or mood relief. If someone becomes unresponsive after using a product containing or believed to contain 7-OH, call 911 immediately and administer naloxone if available.
