A popular but controversial supplement is back in the national spotlight. The FDA announced new moves to restrict a powerful compound found in some kratom products, saying it's as strong as morphine with no regulation. Evyn Moon reports.

Tampa

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced steps to classify 70 H, a compound found in some kratom products, as a schedule one controlled substance. The compound, sometimes called 'legal morphine,' is currently sold in various forms such as vapes, gummies, and drinks, and is marketed as a pain reliever and mood booster.

Health officials warn that 70 H acts as an opioid and is more potent than other chemicals naturally found in kratom. While some experts support the FDA's move for stricter regulation, others argue that there is no evidence linking 70 H to deaths and suggest it may help those recovering from opioid addiction. The Drug Enforcement Administration will now review the scientific and legal basis for scheduling the compound, with a period for public comment before a final decision is made.

FDA calls for kratom restrictions

Well, a popular but controversial supplement is back in the national spotlight. Yeah, the FDA has announced some new moves today to restrict a powerful compound that's found in some kratom products, saying it's as strong as morphine and it's not regulated. Let's bring in FOX 13's Evan Moon, who's in our newsroom, to break down what's being targeted. Hi there, Evan. I know most of us don't even know what kratom is, but back us up a little. What is this item that's in kratom and why is it so dangerous? I will explain all of that. It is complicated. It's called 70 H on store shelves, but it's nicknamed legal morphine by some health experts without any current regulation. Right now, it's sold in smoke shops across the country, including right here in Tampa Bay as vapes, gummies and shots, but potentially not for long. The FDA announced action today to classify it as a schedule one controlled substance. The packaging doesn't look scary. Sold in little packets here in Tampa Bay flavored mint, berry and blue razz marketed as a pain reliever and mood booster. Ice cream cones. Here's one drink with 70 H in it. They're gummy bears. They're bright colors. They're candy flavored. Now, health department officials are sounding the alarm on these products. 70 H binds to the new receptor, which means scientifically, by definition, it is an opioid. Kratom itself is derived from a coffee plant, but officials say 70 H is much more potent. I spoke with a researcher at the University of Florida. It is a completely opioid molecule, so it interacts only with opioid receptors, which is very different from many of the other chemical components that naturally exist in the Kratom plant. He agrees with the FDA's push for regulation. It's almost a pharmaceutical drug unregulated in the free marketplace, and so it's available to everyone, including those that are 18 and older, even if the packaging says 21 or older. But some think this move is too harsh, saying zero deaths have been linked to 70 H nationwide. We're really confused. To be honest, no evidence was presented at today's conference that would suggest that 70 H is actually dangerous. There wasn't a single study presented. There was no data point specific to 70 H, and he believes supplements like this can help addicts wean off harsher substances. But in Florida, for instance, which is one of the highest consumers of 70 H products, we saw opioid overdoses go down over 30% last year. The American Kratom Association sent Fox 13 a statement applauding the move, saying the FDA is quote confronting one of the most urgent public health threats related to mislabeled, manipulated psychoactive substances. These 70 H products are not Kratom. Now, a final rule on classification could take months. The D. A. Will now evaluate the scientific and legal basis for scheduling the drug and allow for public comment of usually 30 to 60 days. Alleymark.

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