Hawaii Department of Health Issues Public Warning: 7-OH Products Are 10 Times More Potent Than Morphine

Why it matters

Hawaii's Department of Health has issued a formal public health advisory warning that 7-OH products sold in convenience stores, vape shops, and other ordinary retail locations carry opioid-level risks, urging parents and healthcare providers to take action.

The big picture

State health agencies are increasingly stepping into the regulatory vacuum left by federal inaction on 7-OH. While the FDA has recommended DEA scheduling, the process remains ongoing and products continue to be widely available. Hawaii joins a growing number of states issuing formal health advisories or enacting bans on concentrated 7-OH products. DOH specifically noted that products are being marketed in forms — including gummies and drink shots — that may appeal to youth and young adults.

Key findings

• Hawaii DOH Director Kenneth Fink called 7-OH "an emerging public health threat" being marketed in misleading ways to suggest the products are natural or safe
• 7-OH products including gummies, tablets, and drink shots are currently sold in convenience stores and vape shops in Hawaii without state regulation
• Concentrated 7-OH may cause addiction, opioid-like respiratory depression, dangerous interactions with alcohol or other drugs, and overdose risk
• Naloxone (Narcan) can reverse a 7-OH overdose, and DOH advises anyone experiencing severe reactions to seek immediate emergency care
• The DEA is currently reviewing an FDA recommendation to classify 7-OH as a Schedule I controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act
• Hawaii DOH is actively evaluating state regulatory and enforcement options related to 7-OH product sales

What they say

"7-OH is an emerging public health threat," said DOH Director Kenneth Fink. "Retail products to which 7-OH has been added are being marketed in ways that may mislead consumers into believing they are natural or safe. In reality, 7-OH acts on opioid receptors in the brain and may carry many of the same risks associated with other opioid products."

Bottom line

**Hawaii's top health official formally declared 7-OH products an emerging opioid threat available in ordinary retail stores, joining the growing chorus of state health agencies demanding federal action.**