Colorado AG issues public advisory on kratom sales
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The FDA is following Colorado's lead in cracking down on a potent compound found in kratom supplements: 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH.
Why it matters: Products with 7-OH — which acts like an opioid and has been dubbed "legal morphine" by researchers — have surged in popularity.
The big picture: In July, the FDA recommended more regulation of 7-OH products and warned consumers about their risks.
- Last month, the FDA also sent a letter to companies about the illegal marketing of 7-OH products, calling them potentially dangerous and unproven.
The latest: Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser issued a public advisory this week to alert consumers to "important new protections" related to kratom sales.
- "The law institutes new requirements for manufacturers, gives consumers new information about these products, and protects kids," Weiser said in a statement.
Context: In May, state lawmakers approved a new law that toughens penalties for the sale of kratom by limiting it to those 21 and older and banning vape and candy-like products.
- More notably, it prohibits synthetic kratom products and those with more than 2% 7-OH of total alkaloids.
Go deeper: Kratom and 7-OH: What to know about the "legal morphine" compound