ME: IF YOU ‘VAPE’ , TAKE ‘ENERGY SHOTS’ PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE You may not use these all the time, you may just want to TRY them, You had a long day and need to get home or these look ‘COOL’ and you want a quick buzz----Don’t do it! PLEASE! THESE CRAPPY things will KILL YOU DEAD!
Story at-a-glance
- The FDA has issued a nationwide warning about 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), an opioid substance found in some products available in gas stations and convenience stores across the U.S.
- 7-OH binds strongly to opioid receptors and has been shown to be more potent than morphine, yet it is unregulated, lacks approved medical use, and is often sold without proper safety labeling
- Many 7-OH products are disguised as energy shots or wellness aids, often with bright packaging that looks like candy or juice. This makes them easy to grab, especially for young consumers, and they’re frequently marketed with false claims for pain, anxiety, or mood support
- Most 7-OH products sold in the U.S. are lab-altered or highly processed, delivering doses far beyond what’s found in natural kratom leaves and carrying a much greater risk of dependence and harm
- If you’ve used 7-OH products, tapering gradually, supporting your body with movement, nutrition, and professional guidance helps reduce withdrawal symptoms and support a safe recovery process
You have probably seen them lined up by the cash register at a gas station or tucked onto the shelves of a corner store — small bottles of energy shots, brightly colored gummies, and novelty products that promise relaxation, focus, or a quick burst of energy. Their packaging is eye-catching and designed to feel as approachable as candy or soda, making them easy to grab without much second thought.
Behind those labels, however, many of these products contain a little-known ingredient called 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a byproduct of the plant kratom. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an urgent nationwide warning against this substance, emphasizing that it carries serious health risks despite being sold openly as a “natural” product.1
The FDA’s announcement has drawn national attention and sparked urgent calls for action as 7-OH products continue to appear on store shelves without proper oversight. For you and anyone you care about, the warning serves as a reminder to look more closely at what’s being marketed as safe, because the stakes for your health could be greater than you realize.
FDA Cracks Down on 7-OH — A Potent Opioid Sold in Plain Sight
On July 29, 2025, the FDA took its first formal step toward restricting 7-OH, a potent opioid compound being sold in vape shops and convenience stores. The move follows growing concern that 7-OH is fueling patterns of misuse and addiction reminiscent of the early days of the opioid epidemic.2
•The FDA recommends scheduling 7-OH under federal law — The agency announced that 7-OH should be placed under the Controlled Substances Act, a decision that would classify it alongside other regulated opioids. U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. framed the action as essential to protecting public health, stating:
“Today, we’re taking action on 7-OH as a critical step in the fight against opioid addiction. We will protect the health of our nation’s youth as we advance our mission to Make America Healthy Again.” 3
•Potent opioid activity with no legal medical use — Regulators confirmed that 7-OH is a highly potent compound that acts on the same brain receptors targeted by opioids. Under the proposed scheduling, 7-OH would be designated as a Schedule I substance, the most restricted category reserved for drugs with high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use, and no established safety profile.
•FDA targets illegal sales and false claims — As a result, the FDA emphasized that it cannot be legally sold as a dietary supplement, food ingredient, or over-the-counter product. In June 2025, the FDA sent warning letters to seven companies marketing 7-OH in various formulations. These products made unauthorized claims for conditions such as anxiety, pain, opioid withdrawal, or mood disorders.
•Scientific review shows high risk of addiction and abuse — The scheduling recommendation was based on a full medical and scientific review, which concluded that 7-OH carries significant risks. FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary warned that its spread could mirror the beginnings of the opioid crisis, when the dangers of prescription opioids were underestimated.
“Vape stores are popping up in every neighborhood in America, and many are selling addictive products like concentrated 7-OH. After the last wave of the opioid epidemic, we cannot get caught flat-footed again,” Makary stated. “7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine. We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.” 4
•Public education campaign launched — The agency has released educational materials for public distribution, including a dedicated report for health providers and a consumer bulletin titled “Hiding in Plain Sight,” which highlights how these products are often disguised as kratom and sold without adequate warning.5
•Reports of severe health effects are mounting — Adverse event reports submitted to the FDA describe troubling outcomes linked to 7-OH use, including seizures, gastrointestinal distress, liver injury, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and withdrawal symptoms such as cold sweats, irritability, body aches, and restlessness. Given the severity of these, the agency urged consumers to avoid all products containing 7-OH.6
The FDA’s recommendation now moves to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which will decide whether to officially schedule 7-OH as a controlled substance. That process includes a public comment period before becoming law. Until then, the compound remains widely available in retail outlets, leaving the public exposed to unregulated products with opioid effects and real risks.
What Exactly Is 7-OH and How Is It Related to Kratom?
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia, where it’s long been used as a traditional remedy for fatigue, pain, and mood and anxiety disorders. The leaves contain dozens of alkaloids, but the one most abundant and pharmacologically significant is mitragynine, the compound from which 7-OH is formed in the liver.7
•Mitragynine is kratom’s primary alkaloid — Making up about 60% of the leaf’s alkaloid content, mitragynine acts as a partial agonist at the μ-opioid receptor. It produces stimulant and analgesic effects without fully activating the receptor in the way that drugs like morphine do.8
•7-OH is rare in the plant but extremely potent when isolated — In natural kratom leaves, 7-OH typically makes up less than 0.05% of total alkaloid mass. Only a small fraction of mitragynine is metabolized into 7-OH inside the body. Commercial products on store shelves often bypass this slow conversion process, delivering synthesized or extracted 7-OH directly at concentrations far higher than anything the plant itself provides.
•Pharmacology reveals potency and risk similar to opioid — Unlike mitragynine’s weaker receptor activity, 7-OH engages the μ-opioid receptor far more strongly. In animal models, it produces rapid pain relief at lower doses than morphine, with sedation and reinforcement that point to clear opioid-class effects.
Researchers describe both mitragynine and 7-OH as “atypical opioids” because they bias signaling toward pain-relief pathways, but this does not eliminate the risks of dependence, overdose, or other harm.
•Addiction potential is clear in experimental models — In laboratory studies, animals repeatedly dosed with 7-OH displayed opioid-like patterns of self-administration, withdrawal, and drug-seeking behavior. These findings align with user reports describing powerful sedation, rapid onset, and a strong compulsion to redose throughout the day — all markers of high abuse potential.
Understanding how 7-OH differs from the natural chemistry of kratom is key. In the plant, it exists only in trace amounts. When isolated and concentrated, however, it becomes a pharmacologically powerful drug with little research to guide safe use. That leap from trace metabolite to high-dose product is what transforms 7-OH into such a hazardous and unpredictable substance.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH GUNNING, SELF DEFENSE, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BY THE SIMPLE FACT IS THESE CAN DULL YOUR MIND, MAKE YOU LESS AWARE AND BESIDES ACTUALLY TRYING TO KILL YOU WILL LEAVE YOU OPEN TO ATTACK!— FOOD FOR THOUGHT—Don102