Beware Of Synthetic Kratom
Vape shops are a dream world of ambiguities, as they were in the old days, when they were called smoke shops and you had to consume your favorite inhalable substances through analog devices like cigarettes and water pipes. The glass bongs were a splendid sight in a glass case, invariably bearing a sign declaring that the pipes inside were to be used for tobacco products only. Drug laws have changed a lot since the first time you set foot in a smoke shop when you were young; the biggest changes are the implementation of a statewide medical cannabis program and the local initiatives to decriminalize recreational use of cannabis in Pennsylvania’s largest cities, including Pittsburgh. All of this means that, while you cannot buy marijuana in a vape shop, you can buy plenty of substances that are drugs. You might gloat that no one has ever fatally overdosed on weed or any of its more reputable cousins, but there are plenty of out-of-control substances you can buy in a vape shop that can kill you even if the DEA has not assigned them to one of its drug schedules yet. A synthetic drug derived from kratom is causing an increasing number of overdoses in Pennsylvania, even though it is currently in a legal no man’s land. If you are facing criminal charges related to drug mixtures containing 7-OH, contact a Pittsburgh drug crime lawyer.
DEA Scheduling of 7-OH Remains in Limbo
7-Hydroxymitragynine, known as 7-OH, is a chemical compound naturally present at low concentrations in the kratom plant. Therefore, when people smoke kratom leaves or ingest pills filled with powdered forms of the whole leaves, they do not get enough 7-OH to cause intoxication. Recently, pills and vape products containing concentrated 7-OH have appeared at smoke shops, and they caused enough adverse effects that regulators decided it was time to regulate the drug. This past summer, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) filed a request with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to list 7-OH as a controlled substance. If the DEA designates 7-OH a Schedule I controlled substance, this will amount to a total ban and may even lead to the criminalization of kratom. If the DEA lists it on one of the other drug schedules, doctors will be allowed to prescribe 7-OH or administer it in a medical setting.
In the News
Poison control centers in Pennsylvania have reported an increase in the number of medical emergencies involving 7-OH. The drug was a contributing factor in 34 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania in 2024; nearly a quarter of those cases were in Allegheny County. The employees of smoke shops where consumers can legally buy 7-OH say that most of the people who buy it regularly are over the age of 40, and they use it for pain relief. Anecdotal evidence suggests that 7-OH is as effective as opioids for pain relief; like opioids, it can also be addictive and cause severe withdrawal symptoms.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases
A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for possession of drug mixtures that include 7-OH. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.
Source:
spotlightpa.org/news/2025/10/kratom-poison-control-7oh-pennsylvania-health/
