The East Valley coalition plans to discuss the potent opioid compound, growing availability of concentrated products and potential local prevention efforts at its Sept. 18 meeting.
Healthy East Valley raises awareness about concentrated 7-OH products
The East Valley coalition plans to discuss the potent opioid compound, growing availability of concentrated products and potential local prevention efforts at its Sept. 18 meeting.
Herbal tablet on green leaf. Health officials raise awareness about concentrated 7-OH supplements, a naturally occurring compound in kratom (Photo credit: iStock it:areeya_ann)
REDLANDS, Calif. — Healthy East Valley is raising awareness about increasingly available concentrated products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, as the nonprofit considers new efforts to assess how the products are being marketed and sold locally.
The organization will make 7-OH and kratom products the focus of its monthly Drug Free Communities Coalition meeting from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18. The virtual meeting is open to residents and community partners throughout the East Valley.
What is 7-OH?
7-OH is a naturally occurring compound in kratom, but it makes up only a small fraction of the alkaloids found in natural kratom leaves. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has increasingly focused its warnings on products containing added or concentrated amounts of 7-OH rather than traditional kratom leaf products.
FDA warns about concentrated products
The FDA describes concentrated 7-OH products as potent opioids that act on the same receptors in the brain as other opioid drugs. The agency says research has found 7-OH has greater potency at those receptors than morphine and can produce opioid-related effects including respiratory depression, physical dependence and withdrawal.
The FDA recommends consumers avoid products containing added or enhanced levels of 7-OH, which are sold in forms including tablets, gummies, drink mixes and liquid shots. The agency says 7-OH has not been approved for medical use and cannot lawfully be added to dietary supplements or conventional foods.
Federal regulators move toward tighter controls
Federal regulators have also moved toward tighter controls. In July, the Drug Enforcement Administration began the process of temporarily placing 7-OH above a proposed concentration threshold, along with several synthetic 7-OH derivatives, under the federal Controlled Substances Act.
Healthy East Valley considers local outreach
Healthy East Valley said it is exploring community assessments and educational outreach at businesses where the products may be sold, including smoke shops, liquor stores and gas stations.
The effort would allow the coalition to gather information about the types of products being marketed locally while providing retailers and community members with educational resources, according to the organization.
Healthy East Valley also plans to discuss the availability and marketing of concentrated 7-OH products with community organizations and local policymakers. Those conversations could eventually inform prevention programs, public education campaigns or potential local policy proposals.
The Sept. 18 meeting is open to community members, parents, educators, healthcare professionals, youth-serving organizations and other stakeholders in Redlands, Highland, Yucaipa, Mentone, Calimesa and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians community.
The meeting will be held on Zoom beginning at 10 a.m. The meeting ID: 656 920 9670 Passcode: HEV2026.
Healthy East Valley is a nonprofit serving communities in eastern San Bernardino County with programs focused on health education, substance-use prevention and research evaluation. Its Drug Free Communities Coalition works to build community capacity to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.
