FDA Seeks Control of 'Legal Morphine' Compound Found in Supplements

The Rise of 'Legal Morphine'

• 💡 A compound known as 7-hydroxy mitragynine, or 7-OHM, is being dubbed 'legal morphine' due to its potent effects.
• 📌 Derived from the kratom plant, 7-OHM is found in supplements sold by Catum Supplements and is available in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
• ⚠️ Federal officials, including the FDA and Health and Human Services, are warning doctors about its dangers and signs of abuse.

Potency and Dangers of 7-OHM

• 🔬 Experts state that in concentrated forms, 7-OHM is 13 times more potent than morphine.
• 💊 Scientifically, it is classified as an opioid, yet it is openly sold in vape shops, smoke shops, convenience stores, and gas stations.
• 📈 Employees in Philadelphia vape shops reported seeing increasing addiction among daily buyers of the substance.

Regulatory Challenges and Abuse

• ⚠️ The New Jersey Poison Center at Rutgers University likens 7-OHM to unregulated products prone to abuse, such as TNT or 'gas station heroin'.
• 🚫 While several states have banned it, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware are not among them, creating a 'wild west' environment.
• 💬 One employee noted a customer's consumption escalating from one bottle every couple of days to three bottles daily.