Senator Marshall Tours Clinical Reference Laboratory & Highlights Dangers of Synthetic Kratom Compound “7-OH”

Lenexa – On Friday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined leaders from the Clinical Reference Laboratory and the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) to raise awareness about the growing threat of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) – a powerful, unregulated opioid compound derived from the kratom plant and now widely available in retail stores across the United States.

During his tour of the Clinical Reference Laboratory, Senator Marshall met with Matt Roney and Bob Thompson of Clinical Reference Laboratory and Dan Neill, Executive Director of the Midwest HIDTA, to review their findings showing that 7-OH is being sold in gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops – often disguised as natural kratom products.

“Parents across Kansas and the country deserve to know that what’s being marketed as a harmless product can in fact be 13 times more potent than morphine,” said Senator Marshall. “What we know is that these synthetic versions of kratom are highly addictive and dangerously misleading. I urge the FDA to take action by providing consumers and retailers with the clarity of knowing what’s safe and what’s not.”

Background:

• 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) is a synthetic derivative of the naturally occurring kratom plant compound. While kratom itself has been sold as a natural supplement, 7-OH is far more potent and toxic, acting on the same receptors as opioids and carrying a high potential for abuse and dependency.
• Laboratory models show the compound is approximately 13 times more powerful than morphine in its effects on opioid receptors.
• In June 2025, Senator Marshall sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Makary urging the agency to act on 7-OH’s growing prevalence in over-the-counter products. The letter called for
  • A formal definition of “kratom” in interstate commerce to ensure that only the natural preparation is under this definition and any synthetic versions are not mistaken for the natural product.
  • Regulation of 7-OH products due to the deceptive marketing companies use to target children and the dangers that these products pose.  

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Contact: Payton Fuller