"A powerful new opioid drug that's sold at convenience stores across California has been linked to three additional deaths, as public health officials warn of a growing public health crisis linked to the painkiller. The Los Angeles Department of Public Health announced three more deaths Friday morning that are linked to 7-Hydroxymitragynine, which is commonly sold as 7-OH. That brings the total deaths linked to the drug in LA to six, after LADPH announced three earlier deaths."
"7-OH is a synthetic drug that causes both opioid and stimulant-like effects; it's usually sold as a pill but sometimes is infused into drinks and vaporizers. It's commonly marketed in colorful packaging with candy-flavored pills and sold at gas stations and smoke shops across the state. The drug is a synthetic relative of kratom and is often described as " gas station heroin" because of its potent strength. One study published in 2024 estimated it was 14 to 22 times stronger than morphine."
Three additional deaths in Los Angeles have been linked to 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), bringing the confirmed total to six in the county. 7-OH produces both opioid and stimulant-like effects, is often sold as candy-flavored pills, and can be infused into drinks or vaporizers. The drug is a synthetic relative of kratom and has been estimated to be far stronger than morphine. 7-OH carries a high risk of fatal overdose, especially when combined with alcohol or other substances. Narcan can reverse a 7-OH overdose. Five medical examiner records list 7-OH as a cause of death for people aged 21, 24, 33, 38, and 39, with multiple substances also noted.
Read at SFGATE
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]