University of Arizona Announces April 9 Addiction Medicine Grand Rounds: Kratom and 7-OH Risk Profile Comparison

Why it matters

As addiction specialists encounter kratom and 7-OH use in clinical settings, continuing medical education that differentiates product risks and guides evidence-based patient management is essential. This CME event provides clinicians with tools to assess kratom use disorder severity and select appropriate treatments.

The big picture

Addiction medicine providers increasingly encounter kratom and 7-OH use, often in patients managing opioid use disorder or pain. Yet few clinicians have training in kratom's pharmacology or clinical assessment. The University of Arizona's Addiction Medicine Grand Rounds, featuring researcher Kirsten Smith (Harvard/McLean), offers CME-accredited instruction on kratom and 7-OH pharmacology, product formulation diversity, abuse potential indicators, and patient-centered management of kratom use disorder.

Key findings

• Learning objectives include describing kratom and 7-OH pharmacology and toxicology, understanding co-formulation with botanicals (e.g., kava), recognizing clinical patterns of use and abuse potential, conducting detailed kratom-use assessments, and managing kratom use disorder. The presenter addresses the dynamic federal policy landscape and implications for clinical practice. Qualifying physicians earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit.

What they say

"Improve identification of kratom product use, conduct detailed clinical assessments and better manage substance use disorder related to kratom-derived products in a data-informed, patient-centered manner." — University of Arizona Learning Objectives (2026)

Bottom line

**A CME-accredited seminar equips addiction medicine clinicians with pharmacology knowledge and clinical assessment skills for managing kratom use disorder in patient populations.**