Policy · 2026-06-22
Florida AG Expands Emergency Rule to Ban Seven 7-OH Compounds, Cites 95 Overdose Calls in First Four Months of 2026
Source: Florida Phoenix
Why it matters
Florida has moved further than any other state to crack down on concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), classifying seven related compounds as Schedule I substances — a move with direct implications for retailers, consumers, and public health officials nationwide. Poison control data showing 95 calls in the first four months of 2026 underscore the real-world harm driving the policy.
The big picture
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier first classified 7-OH as a Schedule I substance via emergency rule in 2025. The June 2026 update expands that designation to seven chemical analogs including mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, 7-acetoxymitragynine, and MGM-15/16 — compounds used in reformulated products designed to evade the earlier ban. The action follows reports from Tampa General Hospital of overdose cases ranging from a three-month-old infant to a 97-year-old adult, illustrating the breadth of consumer exposure.
Key findings
- Florida classified seven 7-OH-related compounds as Schedule I: 7-hydroxymitragynine, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, 7-acetoxymitragynine, 9-hydroxycorynantheidine, 10-hydroxycorynantheidine, MGM-15, and MGM-16
- Poison control data recorded 95 calls involving these drugs in the first four months of 2026 alone
- FDACS has removed over 23,000 illegal 7-OH packages from Florida retailers since the first emergency rule
- The AG warned that violators face up to 30-year prison sentences under the new rule
- 7-OH occurs naturally in kratom leaves at only 0.01–0.04%, but concentrated products sold in gas stations and vape shops far exceed that level
What they say
"We are seeing this affect Floridians of all ages, from infants to the elderly, which speaks directly to how aggressively and irresponsibly this drug is marketed," said Dr. Cory Howard, associate medical director at the Florida Poison Control Information Center in Tampa.
Bottom line
Florida's expanded 7-OH emergency rule is the most sweeping state-level action yet against concentrated kratom derivatives, targeting seven compounds and backed by enforcement data showing tens of thousands of illegal packages already removed from shelves.