The country's got kratom on the brain. What is it exactly?
The Trump administration is trying to restrict access to a substance you might find at your local smoke shop.
The FDA in late July announced plans to crack down on 7-OH. Commissioner Marty Makary described it as an opioid that can be more potent than morphine and the agency's pushing to get it classified as a Schedule 1 substance -- like ecstasy or heroin.
You may not have heard of 7-OH, but you’ve probably heard of kratom. It’s the substance that 7-OH comes from – and it’s controversial in its own right.
Some states have banned kratom. The federal government tried to classify it as a Schedule 1 substance in 2016 but opted not to after getting a wave of pushback.
This year Washington state regulators withdrew a proposal to designate kratom as a Schedule 1 substance, saying it didn’t meet the criteria. So for now, you can buy kratom products in the state.
We wanted to know more about both kratom and 7-OH, so we checked in with a research professor at the University of Washington for insight.
Guest:
- Caleb Banta-Green, research professor at the University of Washington and director of the Center for Community-Engaged Drug Education, Epidemiology and Research.
Related stories:
- FDA recommends concentrated Kratom be scheduled as illicit substance | The Hill
- What to know about changes to kratom sold in Seattle | Axios Seattle
- Kratom & 7-OH: What do we know about use, safety, and overdose risk? | Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (University of Washington)
- What is 7-OH? Opioid-like product may get banned by FDA | USA TODAY
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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington, and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Maleeha Syed
Producer, Soundside
Maleeha is a producer on Soundside, a show that helps listeners get to know the PNW and each other. Before KUOW, she worked at Cascade PBS, first as a communities reporter and then as a podcast producer on shows like Northwest Reports and Your Last Meal. Before moving to Seattle, she worked as a reporter at the Burlington Free Press in Vermont, but is originally from San Antonio.
More stories from Maleeha Syed »
