Florida has declared 7-OH, a concentrated kratom byproduct, illegal due to its high potential for abuse and lack of accepted medical use. An emergency rule classifies 7-OH as a Schedule 1 drug, similar to meth and fentanyl, effective immediately.

Florida officials have taken emergency action to ban 7-OH, a synthetic drug extracted from kratom, by reclassifying it as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Florida Attorney General James Uthemeir issued an emergency rule Wednesday that places 7-OH on a list of drugs, substances, or chemicals that are considered to have no accepted medical use but a high potential for abuse. Schedule 1 substances cannot be legally obtained with a prescription or readily dispensed for clinical use in the United States.

Attorney General James Uthmeier said Wednesday that his office is reclassifying concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine products as a Schedule 1 drug in an effort toremove the product from stores in Florida.

Citing an “immediate danger to the public health, safety and welfare,” Attorney General James Uthmeier on Wednesday issued an emergency rule banning a “highly addictive” compound known as 7-OH, a concentrated byproduct of kratom that is sold in smoke shops throughout the state.