Florida has declared 7-OH, a concentrated kratom byproduct, illegal due to its high potential for abuse and lack of accepted medical use. An emergency rule classifies 7-OH as a Schedule 1 drug, similar to meth and fentanyl, effective immediately.

Florida officials have taken emergency action to ban 7-OH, a synthetic drug extracted from kratom, by reclassifying it as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Citing an “immediate danger to the public health, safety and welfare,” Attorney General James Uthmeier on Wednesday issued an emergency rule banning a “highly addictive” compound known as 7-OH, a concentrated byproduct of kratom that is sold in smoke shops throughout the state.