Recovery Center Warns of “Gas Station Opioid”

A new drug is jeopardizing the progress Michigan has made in combating the opioid epidemic; furthermore, it is currently being sold legally across the state, according to experts with the New Paths Behavioral Health & Recovery Center.

"7-OH functions like an opioid, it’s addictive like an opioid, and without any real regulation, it’s the new bestseller at local vape shops,” explains Dr. James Hudgens, New Paths’ Executive Director. “It endangers our clients in recovery and anyone who might not know what they’re buying.”

A highly concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant, 7-OH can be even more potent than classical opioids like morphine, according to the FDA. Available at smoke shops, convenience stores, and gas stations, 7-OH is being sold in the form of candies and even energy drinks. When ingested, it binds to the same “mu receptors” in the brain, and users report feeling relaxed or euphoric.

The FDA has released advisories cautioning against using the product, and they have even requested that the DEA reschedule 7-OH under the Controlled Substances Act, but there are presently no formal restrictions on its sale or purchase in Michigan.

While there is limited data available, it is believed that 7-OH poses reduced risks of fatal overdose compared to drugs like fentanyl. However, those who become dependent on 7-OH face unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

“My skin crawling, hot and cold sweats like you can’t even imagine... crying, wanting to die, I should have been in a detox facility,” one former user said in an online forum.

7-OH addiction has even proved a serious challenge for local emergency rooms, according to Dr. Dominic Borgialli, an E.R. attending at Hurley Medical Center.  “We have observed dependence and severe withdrawal symptoms in users that are similar to opioids, but with psychosis - including agitation, hallucinations, paranoia, detachment from reality, and confusion," Borgialli said.

Many experts, including Hudgens and Borgialli, have identified that minors are especially vulnerable to 7-OH without state regulations. With consumer-ready forms like gummies and energy drinks, some have argued that the product is being packaged with the explicit purpose of appealing to adolescents. 

For Hudgens, the prospect of opioids afflicting a new generation is alarming. He has observed Michigan’s “incredible – but fragile – progress,” since overdose deaths reached an all-time high in 2021. Last year alone saw a 36% reduction in fatalities, and recovery programs have become even more accessible in the past few years. However, the estimated rate of substance use disorder has not decreased.

“We have an opportunity, and we can’t afford to see these gains reversed with another opioid on the market,” Hudgens said. “We have to be vigilant and proactive. Now is the time to invest in prevention and recovery programs.”