New 7-OH / Kratom Products Are Showing Up in Gas Stations. Here Is What Employers Need to Know

A highly potent opioid compound associated with the kratom plant, commonly labeled “7-OH,” has begun appearing in convenience stores, gas stations, and vape shops. These concentrated products can be purchased as easily as an energy drink, yet they act like opioids. That combination of availability and potency is exactly what caught many employers off guard in the synthetic THC era.

Some states have already moved to remove concentrated 7-OH products from shelves through an emergency rule, and other states are signaling action. Standard workplace drug testing panels do not include kratom or 7-OH, which creates a preventable risk gap for employers.

DISA is working closely with our laboratory partners to monitor 7-OH as this threat evolves. Recently, Clinical Reference Laboratories (CRL) ran a blind study looking for Kratom/7-OH across a large subset of de-identified Non-DOT samples. Preliminary results show an overall positivity of 1.09% for the drug. Safety sensitive samples (DISA’s client base) were still an alarming 0.89% positive for the drug 7-OH. For comparison, this is three times more than opioids (0.28%) and double the fentanyl positives (0.44%) in the same set of samples. Industries with high risk exposure, such as healthcare employee screening, transportation safety compliance, and industrial workplace testing—should be especially alert to these developments.

What is “7-OH” and why is it suddenly everywhere?

7-hydroxymitragynine, shortened to 7-OH, is a kratom-related compound that binds powerfully to opioid receptors. While trace amounts can occur in the kratom plant, today’s retail 7-OH products are typically isolated or highly concentrated extracts that behave like opioids. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that concentrated 7-OH products are increasingly sold as gummies, shots, tablets, and drink mixes, often in convenience stores, gas stations, corner stores, and vape shops.

In July 2025, the FDA announced steps to restrict 7-OH products at the federal level, recommending a scheduling action under the Controlled Substances Act and publishing educational materials for the public and health professionals. The agency emphasized there are no FDA-approved 7-OH drugs and that 7-OH is not lawful in dietary supplements or conventional foods.

Potency and Safety Risks of 7-OH

In laboratory and animal models, 7-OH has shown markedly higher opioid potency than morphine. Peer-reviewed studies have reported orders of magnitude greater activity than kratom’s primary alkaloid, mitragynine, and substantially higher potency than morphine in antinociception assays. This helps explain why concentrated 7-OH behaves like a true opioid and not like traditional kratom tea or powder.

Regulatory Actions: Federal and State Moves

FDA scheduling recommendations

On August 13, 2025, Florida’s Attorney General filed an emergency rule classifying isolated and concentrated 7-OH as a Schedule I controlled substance in the state. The rule took effect immediately and made it illegal to sell, possess, or distribute isolated or concentrated 7-OH. Florida leaders cited the growth of 7-OH in youth-oriented retail channels and the need to act before a broader wave of harm.

Florida’s emergency rule and other state responses

Florida is unlikely to be the last mover. Statehouses are already debating how to regulate or restrict 7-OH. Utah officials are considering tighter enforcement against high-concentration or synthetic 7-OH products despite prior limits, and Ohio’s governor has urged regulators to classify kratom products, including potent 7-OH derivatives, as illegal drugs. Expect a patchwork of rules, similar to what happened with synthetic cannabinoids and other novel substances in the 2010s.

Nationally, a growing list of jurisdictions already regulates kratom or its components in some form. Policy analysts estimate that as of mid-2025, about half of states plus the District of Columbia had enacted bans or regulatory frameworks for kratom or its psychoactive constituents, with several states banning the substance outright. The FDA’s July action places a federal spotlight on concentrated 7-OH, which will likely accelerate state-level changes.

A familiar pattern from the synthetic THC era

How labs have adapted with new test panels

If this sounds familiar to safety and HR leaders, it should. A decade ago, “K2” and “Spice” products emerged as synthetic cannabinoid alternatives sold in gas stations and head shops, and they were not detected by standard employer panels. States responded in waves with bans and scheduling actions. Labs then developed and expanded specific tests that employers could add by request. The current 7-OH situation echoes that pattern. Many base panels still omit these emerging substances, leaving employers exposed unless they upgrade their policies and testing strategy. Laboratories now list specialized testing for synthetic cannabinoids in optional panels, an example of how the market eventually adapted once risks were clear.

Employer Risks and Workplace Implications

Most standard workplace drug screens, such as 5- and 10-panel tests, do not include kratom analytes. While specialized assays exist and can detect 7-OH, these are add-on or custom panels that must be specifically ordered. Employers who have not explicitly added these markers are unlikely to detect use.  

This gap matters because 7-OH products are being marketed in ordinary retail environments and, according to federal briefings, are increasingly appealing to younger consumers with fruit-flavored edibles and novelty formats. The FDA has also flagged risks consistent with opioids, including sedation, respiratory depression, and addiction, especially when concentrated products are used.  

During Florida’s announcement, leaders referenced the need for education and proactive action. Dr. Marty Makary, the FDA's Commissioner of Food and Drugs, said, “We also need to educate the public about 7-OH. We don’t want to be caught flat-footed like we did with fentanyl and prescription drugs. This may be the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic.  

“Vape stores are popping up in every neighborhood in America, and many are selling addictive products like concentrated 7-OH. After the last wave of the opioid epidemic, we cannot get caught flat-footed again. 7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine. We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.”

DISA’s Response, Ongoing Monitoring, and what employers can do now

DISA is already closing known gaps. We recently added fentanyl to our drug testing consortiums and, when requested, to some employers’ panels. Employers can request a consultation, speak with a DISA compliance expert, or customize your testing panel to prepare for 7-OH and other emerging risks. That change reflects the reality that many employers assumed “opioids” covered fentanyl when it did not. The same lesson applies here. The regulatory picture is moving quickly, but we are actively monitoring this category and collaborating with our laboratory partners to track availability of testing and emerging positivity trends.