HARRISBURG, PA- Today, Sen. Tracy Pennycuick’s (R-24) legislation to ban synthetic Kratom in Pennsylvania passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Specifically, the measure bans products with a concentration of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) over 2 percent, which is commonly referred to as synthetic Kratom.
7-OH is found in small doses in the naturally occurring kratom leaf. It is an herbal extract that has a stimulant and opioid-like effect. It comes from the leaves of an evergreen tree called Mitragyna speciosa, which grows in Southeast Asia.
Unregulated products marketed as “Kratom” and “7-hydroxymitragynine” or 7-OH are increasingly sold online, in smoke shops, and at gas stations. Products have gone on the market that offer high and unsafe dosages of 7-OH in concentrated form. These products lack clinical safety data and put consumers at risk of significant harm, including toxicity and development of dependence.
“Synthetic Kratom has emerged as a rapidly growing market that is unregulated and unsafe for consumers,” said Pennycuick. “Depending on the amount of 7-OH in the product and the health of the user, taking synthetic Kratom can be exceptionally harmful, as evidenced by the growing amount of emergency room visits. We must act now to protect unsuspecting young people from the dangers of synthetic Kratom.”
Recently, the PA Department of Health issued a health advisory warning of increased emergency call volumes surrounding 7-OH consumption.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned people not to use Kratom because of possible harm it can cause. Side effects reported included high blood pressure, confusion and seizures, nausea and vomiting, liver damage, and death.
CONTACT: Lidia Di Fiore (215) 541-2388