Written by Tanya Terry, with photos courtesy of New Paths, Inc.
Genesee County has one of the highest rates of overdose fatalities in the state, according to Dr. James Hudgens, executive director of New Paths, Inc.
He pointed out that kratom as been around for many years in Easten medicine.
“Kratom in itself has never been studied very well,” added Hudgens.”…My son had a son that was a kratom energy drink in our refrigerator. He had no idea what he had. He was told it was an alternative to Monster.”
The active ingredient in kratom is 7-OH. Manufacturers have figured out how to synthesize 7-OH independent of kratom.
“So, instead of getting a teeny, tiny dose of kratom-with 7-OH, you get a huge dose,” stated Hudgens. “That dose acts like an opioid: fentanyl, heroin. So, you can overdose on it. It’s unregulated, and if you walk into any tobacco shop, you can find it.”
According to Hudgens, 7-OH is one of the best-selling items in tobacco shops currently.
Hudgens shared that there are clients at New Paths that are detoxing from 7-OH exclusively in substance abuse treatment. He could not confirm a specific number of fatalities due to the drug.
“What I can say is our medical director, who is also one of the Hurley Emergency Room doctors, is seeing it almost daily. We are seeing people coming in with overdose-like events.”
The overdose-like events with 7-OH seem to bring out a psychotic type of state compared to even heroin, and other regular opioids. According to Hudgens, individuals in this state are manic, violent and uncontrollable.
“We started testing for it. We’re seeing people show up. We’re asking: ‘What are you using?’ They’re saying: ‘Well, I’m only using 7-OH. I got it at the gas station.’”
The FDA issued a request to the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) to reclassify 7-OH, which is now considered a Tier 1 drug. Tier 1 means it is one of the least expensive drugs.
Hudgens said of the possible reclassification, however, “it’s not going to happen fast.”
The Florida attorney general has banned the drug in that state.
Hudgens has been asking: “Why can’t we do that in Michigan?’”…”Previously, there have been bills that have been introduced to regulate kratom. I’m not talking about kratom. I’m taking about concentrated 7-OH, which you can buy in pill form, which has doses, which has never been studied. So, we don’t know what a therapeutic dose is if there is one, or what a lethal dose is.”
Hudgens also pointed out that because 7-OH has not been regulated, it says on some if not most of the packaging for the drug: “not deemed fit for human consumption by the FDA.”
“We don’t know what it’s going to do to people!”
Hudgens said, therefore, it is important for anyone going through substance use treatment to let the treatment provider know they are using 7-OH. Not doing so, could be very dangerous and even fatal, according to Hudgens.
The drug 7-OH is, like other opioids, responsive to Narcan. Hudgens considers this “scary.” He also said it is possible for an individual to become 7-OH addicted after only one use.
Hudgens has been the head of the largest substance abuse centers in Genesee County, New Paths, which is also one of the largest centers of its kind within the state of Michigan. The center serves thousands of individuals each year who are recovering from substance abuse disorder. 7-OH, also called 7-Hydroxymitrgynine, is one of many substances center employees are seeing high addiction with.
Hudgens said the Legislature is aware of the 7-OH situation and is moving on it. However, he said it will take time to see new legislation concerning the drug. In the meantime, Hudgens has sent a letter to the Michigan attorney general, saying help is needed.
“What we can do locally is continue to talk to our local officials – our attorney general, Dana Nessel, and ask her to act on this now to protect our communities.”
