A product found in smoke shops, gas stations and convenience stores is powering a new wave of the opioid crisis, including here in Washtenaw County.
Most states do not regulate products containing lab made forms of SEVENO-H - a chemical that acts on the brain’s opioid system. It is found in tiny amounts in the leaves of a plant called Kratom (Kray-tom). Eliza Hutchinson is an addiction physician at UM Health and Packard Health. She says in concentrated forms Kratom can be as addictive as fentanyl and heroin.
“And then in long-term recovery from that, then start using 7-OH, and those are the folks that will tell me, doc, I used it for a week, and I feel like I'm right back on heroin.”
She says many have fallen for marketing that indicates it is a herbal supplement for boosting energy and mood. She says medications commonly prescribed for other additions can successfully manage withdrawal and cravings.
