Stop Gas Station Heroin Commends Florida for Cracking Down on Illegal Drug 7

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5:26 PM on Wednesday, August 13

The Associated Press

State enforcement targets lab-made drugs driving the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic

WASHINGTON, DC, August 13, 2025 (EZ Newswire) --

The Stop Gas Station Heroin coalition today praised Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, accompanied by FDA Director Dr. Marty Makary and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, for taking emergency action to prohibit synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as synthetic 7-OH.

This action marks a critical step toward curbing the spread of Gas Station Heroin — a category of often imported, lab-made substances that include semi-synthetic and synthetic alkaloid products, tianeptine, nitrous oxide, and intoxicating hemp derivatives.

While 7-OH occurs naturally in only trace amounts in the kratom leaf, the products now appearing in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores nationwide bear little resemblance to the plant. Instead, illicit manufacturers are mass producing high-concentration, ultra-potent 7-OH isolates — sold in tablets, capsules, powders, and gummies — that can be up to 13 times more potent than morphine.

“Florida’s leaders are sending a clear message that these chemically manipulated products have no place on store shelves,” said David Bregger, executive director of Stop Gas Station Heroin. “These chemically manipulated products are deceptively dangerous and addictive. Marketed as ‘natural’ supplements, they behave like prescription opioids — carrying serious risks of respiratory depression, dependence, and fatal overdose.”

Florida’s actions follow last month’s U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendation to schedule concentrated 7-OH opioid products under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Both the FDA and the Attorney General’s office have made clear that these measures do not target the kratom leaf, which has been used safely for centuries.

“This represents a major step forward in the fight to protect American consumers from serial bad actors profiting off their addiction,” said Bregger. “Florida — and the FDA — are leading the fight to stomp out the dangerous and deceptive practices fueling the Gas Station Heroin epidemic and robbing our children of their health.

Stop Gas Station Heroin applauds these leaders for using their enforcement authority to hold illicit companies accountable and urges other states to follow Florida’s lead and use their enforcement authority to keep illicit synthetic drugs off the market.

To learn more about Stop Gas Station Heroin and its mission, navigate to stopgasstationheroin.com.

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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SOURCE: Stop Gas Station Heroin

https://app.eznewswire.com/news/stop-gas-station-heroin-florida-crackdown-illegal-drug-7