Synthetically concentrated kratom derivatives draw federal attention

Synthetically concentrated kratom derivatives draw federal attention

The spread of “gas station opioid” products derived from the kratom plant is causing concern for federal authorities and lawmakers.

© Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) signaled heightened concerns about kratom-derived extracts earlier this year when it announced plans to temporarily ban products containing concentrations of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) , mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI) , MGM-15 and MGM-16 .

The agency is aiming to temporarily classify these substances as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act. This action would not affect the natural herbal form of kratom also sold over the counter.

Kratom’s legal status varies from state to state. Nine states have fully banned the herb while more than 30 states regulate the sale of it on some level with have caps on 7-OH concentrations. In more than a dozen other states, kratom exists in a legal gray area, neither banned nor strictly regulated.

Since around 2010, products containing synthetically concentrated extracts like 7-OH and other related compounds, that occur in just trace amounts in the plant, have become readily available over the counter at gas stations and tobacco shops.

Oliver Grundmann, clinical professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Florida, told The Hill that scheduling these highly concentrated products is warranted given that Schedule I classification indicates a drug has no accepted medical use.

Determining a medical use would require going through the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval process.

“That is clearly not what any of these manufacturers that sell [7-OH] products want to do, and therefore it is adequate at the moment, given what we know about [7-OH], to place it into controlled substances schedule,” Grundmann said.

Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter , we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.

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How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond:

Pennsylvania authorities on Monday confirmed the state’s sixth death connected to a measles case as the state deals with the highest number of cases nationally. The Franklin County Coroner released an advisory on Monday stating a 39-year-old woman with “several underlying conditions” died following a recent measles diagnosis that had been treated. The coroner’s office investigated the death Saturday. …

(NewsNation) — The latest research involving GLP-1 drugs suggests they may produce changes in adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis and obesity. New data from an Eli Lilly study found that adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis and obesity experienced broader immune and metabolic changes when treated with both Taltz (ixekizumab) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) compared with Taltz alone. “People living with psoriasis and …

(NewsNation) — A recent study comparing British adults who drank either water or diet soft drinks while losing weight or maintaining their weight reached a surprising conclusion: There was essentially no difference between the two groups. Researchers at the University of Liverpool tracked nearly 500 overweight or obese adults over two years and assigned participants to consume either water or a set amount of nonnutritive sweetened …

Funding cuts can impact patient access to hospitals and health systems through longer waits, fewer services, and closures that could scale back the 24/7 care their communities rely on.

Tell Congress to reject cuts and protect timely access to hospital care when patients need it most.

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

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Local and state headlines on healthcare:

If Virginia passes the proposed amendment on reproductive health , what happens to the state’s laws on abortion? Here’s what legal experts say. ( Cardinal News )

In Iowa’s competitive races, Senate candidates lean into healthcare issues ( Iowa Public Radio )

Missouri hospitals seek to address workforce challenges as turnover rates rise ( News From The States )

Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:

Americans trust science more than peers around the world, survey shows ( Stat )

Study finds lower pregnancy risks in HPV-vaccinated women ( MedPage Today )

U.S. doctors are aging , raising concerns about patient safety ( The Washington Post )

Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: