Phoenix Family Urges Action on 7-OH Products After Son’s Crisis

PHOENIX — A Phoenix family’s urgent plea for stronger regulations on kratom products is gaining traction as lawmakers consider new legislation following a harrowing experience with their teenage son. Sara and Chad Lewis are advocating for increased oversight of products containing kratom and, specifically, 7-hydroxymitragynine – a concentrated compound derived from the plant – which they believe contributed to their son’s mental health crisis and subsequent hospitalization.

The Lewis family’s concerns center around the availability of kratom products at gas stations and smoke shops, sold to individuals 18 and older. According to Sara Lewis, their 17-year-old son began using kratom tablets and a kava-kratom drink in an attempt to manage anxiety. “We noticed some behavior changes, very erratic behavior. A lot of people, they have weird muscle movements and something. We just noticed something was going on,” she said. The situation rapidly deteriorated, culminating in a 30-day inpatient rehabilitation stay after the son expressed suicidal thoughts and sought help from his parents.

Kratom, originating from Southeast Asia, has traditionally been used for pain relief, explained Dr. Frank Levecchio, an emergency physician. “Kratom comes from a plant from Southeast Asia, and you probably see it as 7-hydroxymitragynine… This plant that people utilize in Southeast Asia for pain relief. They put it in their mouth, and they kind of suck on it a little bit, and it kind of gives them some pain relief,” Levecchio said. However, he cautioned that more potent extracts currently available on the market interact with the same brain receptors as opioids.

The Lewis family’s experience comes as Arizona officials grapple with the challenges of regulating kratom. The state was an early adopter of kratom regulation with the passage of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, but enforcement of further protections remains difficult. Officials cite the need for specialized lab testing and expert testimony as obstacles to stricter oversight, according to reporting by 12News.

The push for stronger laws in Arizona mirrors concerns in other states. In Florida, the Attorney General recently issued an emergency rule banning a specific kratom compound, as reported by the Florida Phoenix. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is as well taking action, moving to schedule a synthetic kratom compound, though with what the Arizona Mirror described as “lax enforcement.”

Sara Lewis emphasized the need for public awareness. “I think we need to get this out into the public so that people are aware of what this is, so that they can have conversations with their children about the dangers of these substances that are being sold as something natural and safe because they are 100% not,” she stated. A recent survey, as reported by the Phoenix New Times, is examining Arizonans’ views on a potential ban of kratom, adding another layer to the ongoing debate.