FDA Wants Kratom Byproduct Classified Alongside Illegal Drugs (1)

The US Food and Drug Administration is pushing for a substance found in vape and convenience store products to be classified as among the controlled substances with the highest potential for being abused.

A concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant, 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, is “scientifically, by definition” an opioid, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a Tuesday press conference. The substance can be found in gummies and drinks and other products sold at vape shops, gas stores, and other locations, though Makary noted that its “more potent than morphine.”

The FDA is urging the Drug Enforcement Administration to classify the ...