The Stop Gas Station Heroin coalition today commended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for issuing warning letters to companies marketing "7" — a dangerous semi-synthetic alkaloid often disguised as a natural dietary supplement.
This action marks a critical step toward curbing the spread of "Gas Station Heroin" — a term used to describe a range of often imported lab-made substances that include tianeptine, nitrous oxide, semi-synthetic and synthetic alkaloid products, and intoxicating hemp products.
7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) is only naturally present in trace amounts in dried kratom leaves. Bad actors synthetically mass produce high-concentration, ultra-potent 7-OH isolates in tablets, capsules, powders, and gummies. These chemically manipulated products are misleadingly marketed as natural dietary supplements or food. In reality, they act like prescription opioids and not botanicals, posing serious health risks such as respiratory depression, addiction, and overdose.
The FDA’s warning letters underscore what scientists and public health experts have long known: Gas Station Heroin products are not supplements. They are unapproved, mislabeled street drugs designed to mimic the effects of opioids and other narcotics.
As the FDA notes, Gas Station Heroin products are often aggressively advertised online and in retail locations with deceptive claims about their safety and effectiveness, particularly to individuals seeking to get high or prescription alternatives for pain relief, anxiety, or opioid withdrawal.
Stop Gas Station Heroin applauds the FDA for using its enforcement authority to hold these illicit companies accountable and to protect American consumers from the growing threat posed by synthetic drugs.
