ROCKFORD, Ill. — Wearing his scrubs, Ald. Tim Durkee (R-1st Ward) made an urgent appeal: put limits on 7-hydroxymitragynine, a potent kratom byproduct better known as 7-OH. He criticized the compound and the absence of clear regulation.

“There’s no law to prevent somebody from being stupid,” he said.

The substance has drawn growing concern from researchers and lawmakers. On July 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended classifying 7-OH as Schedule I — the same category that includes heroin and LSD. Still, the compound appears in tablets, flavored shots, strips and other products on store shelves in Rockford and beyond.

“If you’re going to put that into your body, I guess you have a right to do that because you have a right to be stupid,” Durkee added.

On Monday, Durkee’s proposed ban on 7-OH products advanced out of the city’s code and regulation committee on a 3-2 vote.

What is 7-OH?

The compound is derived from a tiny portion of the kratom leaf. Matthew Hastings of the University of Colorado says chemists have synthesized the substance and brought far more potent versions to market. Durkee — who is also an obstetrician and gynecologist — warned about its risks.

“It has a high dependency, high overdose. It’s problematic,” he said, citing concerns about overdose, withdrawal and its mind-altering effects “since it acts like morphine.” Because 7-OH binds to opioid receptors, Durkee suggested it could be more powerful than morphine.

Craig Katz, government relations and compliance manager for CBD Kratom, argued 7-OH isn’t a natural kratom product and said his stores do not sell it. “We have to make sure that the consumers of our products are safe,” he said.

A kratom byproduct crackdown

At least seven states, including Wisconsin, have enacted bans on 7-hydroxy. If Rockford’s amendment passes, products containing the compound would be removed from shelves; several local stores reportedly sell such items within city limits.

“It’s a great idea that the municipalities are taking the step,” Katz said after reviewing Rockford’s proposed ordinance, calling it thorough.

Assistant city attorney Jacob Rubin told the council in a memo that the compound is a “danger to the public health… known to cause anxiety, depression… and in high doses, the respiratory depression has been found to be fatal.” Recent deaths linked to 7-OH cited in the memo include a husband in Columbus, Ohio, and three overdoses in Los Angeles County.

Supporters of 7-OH sales

Steven Johnson, manager of Peace Novelty for 18 years, defended the products as helping people manage suffering. He described his Rockford store as the “number one spot in the Midwest for kratom products” and urged regulation rather than an outright ban.

In a statement to WIFR, Johnson said that while 7-OH isn’t FDA-approved, many people — including veterans and the elderly — use kratom products to manage pain when prescription medicines are inaccessible or unaffordable. He acknowledged the potential for addiction and problematic packaging, but said his store makes customers aware of risks, advises limited or as-needed use, and supports customers who want to reduce their use. He urged the government and the American Kratom Association to pursue regulation to make products safer for consenting adults instead of banning them.

Katz criticized that position as disingenuous, pointing to the large sums of money involved in an industry estimated at $2 billion to $8 billion.

What’s next

With committee approval secured, the proposed 7-OH restriction now heads to a full City Council vote set for Nov. 17.

“The city, the law, we care about you doing something destructive… where you hurt somebody else, and that you don’t have a right to do,” Durkee said.

State lawmakers in Illinois do not appear to be actively pursuing a 7-OH ban, though other municipalities such as Winnetka and Monticello have moved forward with restrictions in recent months. Durkee said he expects more action soon.

“It’s not FDA approved. It’s pretty much unregulated at present, but I’m assuming that in the near future, it’s probably going to be banned,” he said, adding that he hopes the state steps in before anyone else is hurt.

Copyright 2025 WIFR. All rights reserved.

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This article was adapted from an original report published on wifr.com. All rights belong to the original publisher.

The continuing resolution Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed on November 12 to reopen the government includes a new, specific mandate for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The agency must direct at least $200 million of its $712 million in user fees to enforcement of rules governing electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). Of that amount, $2 million is earmarked for a multi-agency task force—featuring the Justice Department and Homeland Security—to target illegal ENDS imports from China and other countries.

The law also requires the FDA to revise its 2020 ENDS enforcement guidance within one year to explicitly cover flavored disposable vapes and to clarify what counts as a disposable ENDS product. Additionally, the Imports and Exports section of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act has been updated to include tobacco products, giving the FDA clearer authority to regulate their import alongside food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics.

The agency must report to Congress every six months on its efforts to remove illegal ENDS products from the market, with the first report due within 180 days of enactment (November 12). The FDA is likewise expected to submit a report describing its work to educate retailers about which products are legally permitted for sale.

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This article was adapted from an original report published on tobaccoreporter.com. All rights belong to the original publisher.

It’s a Friday night at Palm Bay’s Nocturne Teas. Kava bowls line the counter, sending an earthy scent through the room while drinks flow. Guests sip mocktails or canned beverages at the wraparound bar, relax on full-length couches, or play pool and video games beneath pulsing EDM and alternative tracks. A small stage anchors the space, and live performers keep the energy going well past midnight.

Even after Florida’s emergency ban on 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), business here feels largely unchanged. Nocturne draws a wide cross-section of the community, including students from nearby Florida Institute of Technology, and the vibe remains steady despite the new rules.

On August 13, 2025, Florida enacted emergency rule 2ER25-2, reclassifying 7-OH as a Schedule I controlled substance. Found in trace amounts in kratom, 7-OH is known for strong opioid-like effects; an FDA study found it to be 13 times more potent than morphine. The ban is the state’s latest step to regulate plant-based substances that have gained popularity in bars and tea houses across South Florida.

Intuitively, the ban might have been expected to hit kava bars hard. Instead, many tea houses have shifted their menus, and business appears to be doing fine. Some customers, though, are disappointed by the changes.

“We’ve had people that were disappointed that the new 7-OH beverages had changed, although they still order other drinks,” said Corbin Monge, 25, a veteran and co-owner of Nocturne Teas.

Drinks containing 7-OH have stirred controversy for years. In 2023 a class-action suit targeted Botanic Tonics, maker of Feel Free, a kratom-based drink marketed as a safe alcohol alternative; the suit alleged the company didn’t properly disclose kratom-related health risks. That case settled earlier this year for $8.75 million.

Kratom and kava are different plants with different effects, but before the ban both were commonly served at kava bars and were sometimes blended in teas. Many kava bars post warnings and informational signs about the risks and origins of kava and kratom to help educate individual consumers.

Before August’s emergency rule, 7-OH was also sold in concentrated pill forms far more potent than kratom. While some consumers and proprietors acknowledge that high-dose pills and other concentrated 7-OH products can be dangerous, many dispute blanket claims that kratom-based teas are inherently unsafe. Monge said when 7-OH is distilled and isolated—“that’s when you get those drastic negative 7-OH effects”—but not when it’s present in brewed teas.

Some customers and tea-house owners support banning distilled forms of 7-OH, including pills. “Kava bars,” Monge said, “were making a killing on something that was overpriced, easily accessible, and ultimately should not have been put on the market to begin with. It [7-OH] did a very great disservice to the kava and kratom community; introducing those products gave us a bad name.”

Reactions to the changes have been mixed. “Some drinks had 7-OH, and they had to change their formula. Regulars at the bar would say this [change] would ruin you or that it was the best thing,” said Jack Meyer, a 21-year-old Palm Bay resident and cook who frequents Nocturne.

Kratom is sometimes promoted as a way for opioid users to quit, but Meyer doubts that kratom, tea houses, 7-OH or the ban will make a major difference. “You kidding me? These people say, ‘Oh, this is how you’re gonna get off drugs–this is how you stop being addicted–when people are doing and dealing drugs in these places pretty openly.”

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This article was adapted from an original report published on wlrn.org. All rights belong to the original publisher.

The continuing resolution that Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed on November 12 to reopen the government includes a new funding and enforcement mandate for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) targeting electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

Key provisions:
– At least $200 million of the FDA’s $712 million in user fees must be used to enforce ENDS regulations.
– Of that $200 million, $2 million is earmarked for a multi-agency task force—including the Justice Department and Homeland Security—focused on cracking down on illegal ENDS products imported from China and other countries.
– The FDA must update its 2020 ENDS enforcement guidance within one year to explicitly cover flavored disposable vapes and to clarify the definition of disposable ENDS products.
– The law amends the Imports and Exports section of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to include tobacco products, expanding the FDA’s authority to regulate tobacco imports alongside foods, drugs, devices, and cosmetics.
– The FDA must provide semi-annual reports to Congress on efforts to remove illegal ENDS products from the market; the first report is due within 180 days of enactment (November 12).
– The agency is also expected to submit a report describing its work to educate retailers about which products are legally permitted for sale.

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This article was adapted from an original report published on tobaccoreporter.com. All rights belong to the original publisher.

South Australia has moved aggressively against the illegal tobacco and vape trade, issuing 100 28‑day closure orders to stores since June 5. Authorities have seized products with an estimated value of about A$50 million (US$32.5 million), including 41 million cigarettes, 140,000 vapes and 13,585 kg of loose tobacco.

The actions form part of a state-led crackdown backed by an A$16 million (US$10.4 million) illicit tobacco taskforce, targeting outlets across both metropolitan and regional areas. So far two long-term closures have been imposed, and five more are pending before the Magistrates Court.

The Malinauskas Government says the measures aim to disrupt organised crime networks profiting from illicit sales. Penalties can reach up to A$6.6 million (US$4.3 million) for large‑scale offenders, and landlords who knowingly permit such activity face fines of up to A$50,000 (US$32,500).

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This article was adapted from an original report published on tobaccoreporter.com. All rights belong to the original publisher.

Dutchess County smoke shop shut down amid illicit cannabis investigation — NEWS10 ABC

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This article was adapted from an original report published on news10.com. All rights belong to the original publisher.

Two men were arrested Wednesday after an undercover operation at a North Huntingdon vape shop, the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office said.

Undercover agents went to the Star and Smoke Vape Shop on Lincoln Highway attempting to buy vapes that contained Delta‑8, a product that is illegal in Pennsylvania, officials said. Investigators allege employee Al Merdaie Mohamed handed the agents several Delta‑8 vapes. When Westmoreland County detectives entered the store, prosecutors say Mohamed tried to hide the items from view.

Mohamed told investigators he was “just filling in for a friend.” When another man, identified as employee El Hacen Mohamed Najem, walked into the shop and identified himself as staff, he was also arrested, the DA’s office said.

After the arrests, a search warrant at the business turned up additional products, including Delta‑8, THCA flower, edibles and dab wax. This was the second search warrant executed at the shop this year; in February investigators seized more than 600 grams of illegal items and submitted them for testing.

Pennsylvania law outlaws all Delta‑8 products, and Delta‑9 products containing more than 3% concentration are also illegal.

Both men were arraigned on multiple drug-related charges and were remanded to the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $100,000 bail.

The investigation involved the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force, Westmoreland County detectives, North Huntingdon Township police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.

Brentwood police are asking the public’s help identifying a person of interest in a burglary at the Smoke Glass and Vape shop. The department has released a photo of the individual believed to be connected to the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Christian Heynes at 412.884.2600 ext. 181, by email at cheynes@brentwoodpa.gov, or via Crimewatch. Tips may be submitted anonymously.

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British American Tobacco (BAT) has come under fire for lobbying against parts of Zambia’s proposed Tobacco Control Bill — measures that mirror rules already in force in the UK, where BAT’s global headquarters is located.

The Guardian reported that BAT Zambia sent a letter to government ministers asking for delays or changes to proposed bans on advertising and sponsorship, smaller graphic health warnings on packaging, removal of restrictions on flavored tobacco products, and lighter penalties for industry violations.

Health advocates reacted sharply. Campaigner Master Chimbala branded the moves “utter hypocrisy,” pointing out that the same restrictions have long been applied in the UK. The draft bill would also bring e-cigarettes under regulation and require graphic warnings to cover 75% of tobacco packaging.

BAT Zambia defended its actions, saying it supports “progressive regulation” and takes part in the legislative process in line with local law. The company stressed the need to balance public health objectives with concerns about illicit trade and market realities. “The company participates in the country’s legislative process in line with the relevant frameworks which provide for stakeholder participation in policymaking,” a BAT Zambia spokesperson said. “We advocate for progressive regulation to achieve intended public health goals, while acknowledging the spectrum of rights and obligations on industry, consumers, and related stakeholders.”

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This article was adapted from an original report published on tobaccoreporter.com. All rights belong to the original publisher.

Today (November 13), hospitals across the Netherlands are tallying how many patients arrive at emergency rooms with medical problems linked to smoking, vaping, and snus. The nationwide initiative aims to measure nicotine’s impact on emergency care and is led by Dr. Nicole Kraaijvanger of Leiden University Medical Center, NOS reports.

The study seeks concrete data on how nicotine use contributes to acute conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and chronic bronchitis. Backed by medical associations and prevention groups, its findings are expected to help shape future smoking and vaping policies in the Netherlands.

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This article was adapted from an original report published on tobaccoreporter.com. All rights belong to the original publisher.