US regulator recommends 7-OH compound found in vapes be controlled
July 30, 2025
FDA headquarters at White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland, US (Photo: iStock)
The U.S. Food and Drug administration is recommending the scheduling of the 7-OH compound as a controlled substance because of its opioid properties, FDA commissioner Marty Makary said on Tuesday.
Many products containing 7-OH are available in vape stores and the compound is present in drinks and children’s gummies, he said at a news conference.
The FDA letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration will recommend scheduling 7-OH above a concentration threshold as a Class 1 controlled substance.
The substance 7-OH is increasingly recognised as having potential for abuse because of its ability to bind to opioid receptors, the FDA said.
“Yet it is sold in vape stores, in smoke shops, and convenience stores, and gas stations, that are popping up all over the United States,” Makary said.
The FDA is issuing a report explaining the risks of the synthetic substance, made from the kratom plant, and sending a letter to every physician in the United States warning them about the substance.
“We’re going to continue to try to educate the public,” Makary said.
(Reuters)
