Today is Veterans Day, honoring the approximately 17.6 million living veterans in the United States. And some of them are using this time to call on Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop his efforts to ban 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a naturally occurring compound found in kratom.
Four months ago, FDA Kennedy asked the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to take action to control certain 7-hydroxymitragynine (also known as 7-OH) products under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This substance is also known as “gas station heroin.”
Veterans asked Kennedy to take a science-based approach to responsibly regulating kratom.
Letter signed by nine veterans under the bannerVeterans will save 7-OHhighlights the impact of 7-OH on former military personnel coping with chronic pain, PTSD, and recovering from opioid addiction. Veterans describe 7-OH as “life-changing,” citing its role in helping them cope with pain, regain stability, and rebuild their lives after service.
“For many of us, 7-OH has brought relief where years of prescription drugs, surgery, or therapy had failed,” the letter said. “He calmed the pain that kept us awake, helped calm the nerves that think we never left the battlefield, and became a bridge away from dangerous opioids and alcohol. Simply put, he gave us our lives back.”
In July, Louisiana became the seventh state to ban kratom entirely. Florida Attorney General James Utmyer announced that an emergency regulation has been issued to classify isolated and/or concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) from kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance in Florida.
The rule, effective immediately, prohibits the sale, possession or distribution of any isolated or concentrated form of 7-OH in the state.
Kratom is a tropical tree (Mitragyna speciosa) native to Southeast Asia and not legally sold in the United States as a drug, dietary supplement, or dietary additive in conventional foods. It is often brewed into tea.
Veterans face about twice the risk of overdose as the general population, according to national data. The numbers show a harsh and persistent reality: After serving their country, many veterans return home with chronic pain, injuries and limited treatment options. Veterans argue that banning 7-OH will push many veterans toward opioids and illicit drugs. Instead of a ban, they call on HHS to implement responsible regulation, including age restrictions, product testing, transparent labeling and continued scientific research.
“In an era when nearly 150 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, we cannot afford to lose 7-OH, which safely helps veterans recover, reunite and recover,” the letter said. The coalition requested a meeting with HHS officials to share first-hand accounts and collaborate on evidence-based policy development. The letter is part of a growing movement of veterans and harm reduction advocates calling on federal agencies to allow research into 7-OH for its potential for safe and therapeutic use.
Veterans will save 7-OHis a national coalition of military veterans and first responders advocating for safe access to 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products.
You can read the letter Here.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Safety News,click Here)
