The Stop Gas Station Heroin coalition today applauded Attorney General Pam Bondi and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for their joint enforcement action targeting distributors and retailers selling illicit vaping products — including those containing concentrated synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH).
The large-scale operation, conducted across six states, resulted in the seizure of hundreds of thousands of illegal items, many of which are infused with concentrated synthetic 7-OH — a foreign lab-made, highly concentrated compound up to 13 times stronger than morphine. The mass seizure comes as federal health officials and several state attorneys general have grown increasingly vocal in their warnings about the threats posed by synthetic 7-OH, most recently in Montana.
7-OH is a metabolite that occurs in only trace amounts upon drying of kratom leaf. But the synthetic 7-OH opioid products being sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores across the country are not natural. Instead, they are the result of bad actors manipulating the plant extract with harsh chemicals like pool shock and ethyl acetate to supercharge it into an opioid drug that is marketed towards our most vulnerable populations.
“Today’s federal enforcement action marks a critical step toward shutting down the pipeline of synthetic drugs devastating families and communities across the country,” said David Bregger, Executive Director of Stop Gas Station Heroin. “For too long, these products have been disguised as candies, dietary supplements or wellness aids, while they’re actually engineered to mimic hard narcotics. By targeting distributors and retailers, the government has sent a clear message: This public health crisis will not be tolerated.”
Families nationwide have shared their stories of loved ones becoming hopelessly addicted to concentrated synthetic 7-OH within days — racking up debt, hiding use, and suffering painful withdrawals. Unlike natural kratom leaf, a centuries-old botanical which many report using responsibly for years, concentrated synthetic 7-OH quickly drives a desperation and dependence that rivals pharmaceutical opioids.
“This is a win for families, for public health, and for communities,” Bregger added. “We commend the DOJ, ATF, FDA, and HHS for taking bold action — and we call on the DEA leaders to finish the job by formally classifying synthetic 7-OH and its synthetic analogues and derivatives as a Schedule I controlled substance.”
To learn more about Stop Gas Station Heroin and its mission, navigate to stopgasstationheroin.com.
About Stop Gas Station Heroin
Stop Gas Station Heroin is a national coalition that aims to educate consumers about harmful synthetic drugs and advocate for smart regulation that distinguishes between legitimate, natural botanicals and dangerous, synthetic drugs, combined with enforcement of current federal laws around unapproved drugs. To learn more, navigate to stopgasstationheroin.com.
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