Public Health and Regulatory Considerations for Kratom and 7-OH Products

Audience

hospital and community members

Overview

This session is designed to clarify the distinctions between natural kratom leaf (which contains trace amounts of 7-OH) and the newer, potent products with added or synthetic 7-OH that are increasingly available in retail settings and online. The webinar will address the growing concerns among health care professionals, public health officials, and community advocates regarding the misuse, unpredictable potency, and emerging health risks associated with these unregulated substances and current legislative efforts. 

Key Topics

1. Pharmacology and Health Effects: Discuss how kratom's primary compounds, mitragynine and 7-OH, interact with the body's opioid receptors and the potential for both stimulant and potent opioid-like effects. 

2. Public Health Concerns: Review data on adverse effects, including addiction potential, neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, overdose risks (especially when combined with other substances like alcohol or benzodiazepines) and contamination issues. 

3. Regulatory Landscape: Examine the complex and patchwork regulatory status at federal and state levels, including the FDA's position that kratom is an unapproved new dietary ingredient and cannot be lawfully marketed as such. 

4. Recent Agency Actions: Outline recent actions by the FDA and state authorities, such as FDA warning letters to companies illegally marketing 7-OH products and the FDA's recommendation to the DEA to classify concentrated 7-OH as a controlled substance. 

5. Consumer Safety and Education: Identify ways to help the public, including parents and health care providers, recognize and avoid dangerous products that are often marketed to look like candy or other common items. 

Speakers

Doug Burgess, M.D. 
Medical Director of Addiction Services 
Director of Behavioral Health Services, EMBER Program 
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, UMKC 
Center for Recovery and Wellness 
University Health 
Kansas City, Mo. 

Rep. Carolyn Caton  
R-Blue Springs 
Missouri House of Representatives 

Danielle Goldsmith  
Family Experience Advocate 

Cheri Goldsmith  
Family Experience Advocate