Hawaii health officials warn of potent 7-OH products sold statewide

Kauai smoke shops, vape stores, convenience stores and online sellers are now squarely in the path of a statewide warning about 7-hydroxymitragynine, a concentrated and sometimes synthetic kratom compound officials say can behave like an opioid and carry far greater risk than traditional kratom leaf products.

The Hawaii Department of Health issued the alert on May 11, warning that 7-OH products are showing up in gummies, tablets, drink shots and flavored items that can look harmless, especially to teens and young adults. The department said 7-OH may be about 10 times more potent than morphine and can cause addiction, sedation, respiratory depression, overdose and dangerous reactions when mixed with alcohol or other drugs.

DOH Director Kenneth Fink described 7-OH as an emerging public-health threat and said retail products with added 7-OH can mislead buyers into thinking they are natural or safe. The warning matters on Kauai because the products can move through ordinary retail channels, not just specialty shops, and the front label may not reveal the potency or the presence of synthetic ingredients.

The state’s concern is reinforced by federal action. On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended scheduling certain 7-hydroxymitragynine products under the Controlled Substances Act, while making clear that the action targets concentrated 7-OH products and not natural kratom leaf. The FDA has said there are no approved drugs containing 7-OH, and that the substance is not lawful as a dietary supplement or as an ingredient added to conventional foods. The Drug Enforcement Administration is reviewing that recommendation.

The scale of the problem also appears to be growing. America’s Poison Centers reported 1,690 kratom exposure cases from Jan. 1 through July 31, 2025, already more than the total for all of 2024. The group also reported 165 7-OH exposure cases in 2025, with 35% of lone 7-OH exposures causing serious health problems and 67% requiring treatment at a healthcare facility. In March 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the kratom market has shifted from crushed or brewed leaves toward powders, tablets, gummies and concentrated energy shots, including products enriched with isolated 7-hydroxymitragynine.

For Kauai households, the immediate warning signs are concrete: products marketed as herbal, natural or energy-related may actually contain a potent opioid-like compound. DOH said it is coordinating with partners and evaluating regulatory and enforcement options in Hawaii, as island communities face a market where the most dangerous products can be the ones that look the most ordinary.