States Close Kratom Loophole by Banning Its Stronger Chemical

Several states are now banning a specific chemical in kratom—7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH—that's far more powerful than kratom itself at affecting opioid receptors in the brain. Earlier bans on kratom as a whole left room for companies to sell reformulated products with higher amounts of this stronger compound. By naming the chemical directly, regulators are plugging that gap.