Florida targets 7-OH products with emergency rule

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(The Center Square) – A new emergency rule signed this week will more strictly regulate products containing 7-OH in Florida.

The opioid-like chemical, which is found in products sold in gas stations and vape shops, has been linked to at least 587 overdose deaths in Florida since 2013, according to the state attorney general’s office.

“We see firsthand the devastating consequences of dangerous substances like 7-OH," said Melissa Golombek, Executive Vice President of the Florida Health Sciences Center and President of Tampa General Hospital. "Too often, patients who have purchased these products at a nearby convenience store, unaware of how addictive and lethal they can be, arrive in our emergency department after an overdose.”

The emergency rule places 7-OH as a Schedule I substance, enabling felony-level arrests and shutdowns of illegal sellers. It also prevents products with 7-OH from containing more than 1 milligram per gram as solids or pills or per milliliter for liquids.

Concentrated versions of 7-OH have been sold under brands including Hydroxy, 7Tabz, and 7OHMZ.

“Exposure and overdose involving 7-OH mitragynine has been on the rise in recent years,” said Dr. Cory Howard, an emergency medicine physician with Tampa General Hospital. “We are seeing this affect Floridians of all ages, from infants to the elderly, which speaks directly to how aggressively and irresponsibly this drug is marketed. Thanks to the decisive action of General Uthmeier, Commissioner Simpson and Surgeon General Ladapo, Florida is removing these products from shelves.”

The Food and Drug Administration put out a warning to consumers about products containing 7-OH, saying they should be avoided and have not been approved for any medical use. The FDA has also sent warning letters to companies illegally distributing 7-OH products.

The concern surrounding the products is that they act on opioid receptors and can cause dose-dependent respiratory depression, addiction, and severe withdraw. The attorney general’s office stated hundreds of recent poison control cases have been linked to 7-OH.

“Working with Attorney General James Uthmeier and our law enforcement partners, we have put in place some of the strongest protections in the nation to keep these products off store shelves. Since our emergency rule took effect, FDACS has removed over 23,000 illegal 7-OH packages from retailers across Florida, and our inspectors continue to conduct routine checks and targeted sweeps across our state,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “We will use every tool available to protect consumers, safeguard our communities and keep these addictive substances out of the hands of kids and families.”