Trenton, N.J. – New Jersey lawmakers are considering legislation to regulate the sale of kratom products, specifically targeting a highly concentrated version of the substance, 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), which some experts say is significantly more potent than morphine. The bill comes as concerns rise over the potential for addiction adn the presence of adulterated products in the marketplace.
Kratom, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy for pain and to boost energy. While kratom itself is currently legal in New Jersey, 7-OH - a metabolite of kratom – is increasingly being synthesized and added to products, or appearing at elevated levels, raising alarms among health officials and addiction specialists. The proposed legislation seeks to establish quality control measures and restrict the sale of products containing excessive amounts of 7-OH.
the bill is endorsed by the American Kratom Association and the Global Kratom Coalition. Notably, it also received unanimous support from the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners in a January vote, as documented in meeting minutes.
Mac Haddow, senior fellow on public policy for the American Kratom Association, emphasized the association’s desire to avoid an unregulated market and protect consumers from synthetic products falsely labeled as natural kratom. “What we should be focusing on is these adulterated and clearly mislabeled products on the market,” Haddow stated.
The Food and Drug Management (FDA) issued warning letters in June to seven companies for illegally distributing products containing 7-OH as an additive or at enhanced levels in various forms, including tablets, gummies, drink mixes, and shots.
Joseph Margotta, a person in long-term recovery from addiction, understands the complexities of substance use. He expressed concern that some companies are aggressively marketing 7-OH-enhanced products, notably to young people, as a means to get high.”I see that some of the people that sell this 7-OH, they’re making it sound like it’s a drug to get high off of…I think that’s hazardous,” Margotta said.
However, Margotta cautioned against an outright ban, arguing it could drive users to seek out unregulated sources or more dangerous alternatives. “An outright ban I don’t think would be good. I think if they do that it may do more harm than good, as people are either going to try to find a way or they’re going to try to find somthing else to alleviate their pain. And that’s not a good place to go,” he explained.
