WASHINGTON, DC, June 22, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The American Kratom Association (AKA) today applauded Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier for issuing a strict new emergency rule that targets and bans chemically manipulated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) opioid products and their follow-on derivatives that have flooded the marketplace and placed Florida consumers at significant risk.

For years, the American Kratom Association has warned policymakers that highly concentrated and chemically manipulated 7-OH products are fundamentally different from natural kratom leaf products. These products are not natural kratom leaf products. They are chemically engineered opioid products designed to deliver deliberately manipulated high concentrations of 7-hydroxymitragynine, often in forms that maximize rapid absorption and increase the potential for abuse, dependency, and other serious adverse health consequences.

“The Florida Attorney General deserves enormous credit for confronting this public health threat head-on,” said Mac Haddow, Senior Fellow on Public Policy for the American Kratom Association. “This action reflects a careful review of the scientific evidence and sends a clear message that consumer protection must come before the profits of companies selling chemically manipulated opioid products under the false banner of kratom.”

The Attorney General’s action is particularly significant because some of the nation’s largest manufacturers, distributors, and marketers of chemically manipulated 7-OH products are headquartered or operate in Florida. These 7-OH opioid companies have invested substantial resources in lobbying campaigns, public relations efforts, and legislative initiatives aimed at preventing meaningful regulation of their products.

“Unfortunately, some of the very companies profiting from these dangerous products have worked aggressively to stop Attorney General Uthmeier from taking action,” Haddow said. “They have attempted to blur the distinction between natural kratom leaf products and chemically manipulated 7-OH opioids. That distinction is critical. Natural kratom leaf contains only trace levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine and has been used safely by millions of consumers. The products targeted by the Attorney General are something entirely different.”

The AKA noted that federal health officials have repeatedly expressed concerns regarding highly concentrated 7-OH products and synthetic derivatives. In 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration recommended federal scheduling action against 7-OH and related compounds due to the significant public health risks they pose. Congressional appropriators subsequently expressed “grave concern” regarding chemically manipulated 7-OH products marketed as kratom despite their substantially different pharmacological effects and safety profiles.

The Florida action represents an important step toward restoring integrity to the marketplace by distinguishing natural kratom products from chemically manipulated opioid products that exploit regulatory gaps while exposing consumers to unacceptable risks.

“The American Kratom Association has consistently supported strong enforcement against bad actors who market dangerous products while simultaneously advocating for consumer access to properly manufactured, properly labeled natural kratom products,” Haddow added. “Florida has demonstrated that policymakers do not have to choose between protecting consumers and preserving access to natural kratom. They can do both.”

The AKA urged other states and federal policymakers to follow Florida’s lead by focusing enforcement efforts on chemically manipulated 7-OH opioids and their derivatives while adopting sensible regulatory frameworks for natural kratom products that include age restrictions, labeling requirements, contaminant testing, and good manufacturing practices.

“Today is a victory for science, consumer safety, and responsible public policy,” Haddow said. “The Florida Attorney General has drawn a clear line between natural kratom and chemically manipulated opioid products, and consumers will be safer because of it.”

About American Kratom Association (AKA)

American Kratom Association (AKA) is a consumer-based, nonprofit organization, focused on furthering the latest science as guidance for kratom public policy. AKA works to give a voice to millions of Americans by fighting to protect their rights to access safe and natural kratom. For more information, visit www.americankratom.org and learn more at kratomanswers.org.

Media Contact

Mac Haddow
Senior Fellow on Public Policy
press@americankratom.org
+1 571-294-5978

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SOURCE: American Kratom Association (AKA)

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