Each September, Recovery Month focuses national attention on addiction treatment and encourages people who are struggling to pursue help. A clinical leader at Porch Light Health described the observance as a chance to reduce the shame that surrounds addiction. That goal, the official said, is "to reduce stigma and make it more OK for people to engage in care and get help."
A substance called 7-OH — a concentrated derivative of the naturally occurring plant kratom — has drawn growing attention from local providers, who cite concerns about its addictive properties and its resemblance to opioids in how it affects users. Commercial products sold in specialty shops can contain a concentration of 7-OH roughly 300 percent above natural levels, and at that point the dependency patterns the compound produces are comparable to those associated with heroin and fentanyl, according to Porch Light's chief clinical officer.
Consumers can encounter these products in several forms, including gummies, liquids, pills, and powders. The Porch Light official called on families to stay alert to whether such products are appearing at home and to speak plainly with children, warning that "this is a dangerous substance."
Patient volume at Porch Light involving 7-OH has been climbing, though the number of people seeking care for it remains well below those being treated for fentanyl addiction. For people who stop using 7-OH after regular consumption, the withdrawal experience can include symptoms — fatigue, muscle pain, and nausea — that parallel what opioid patients endure. The Porch Light official characterized the overall experience as "flu-like symptoms."
Treatment exists for those who develop a dependency tied to 7-OH, and Porch Light approaches such cases the way it would any opioid use disorder, typically turning to a buprenorphine or Suboxone product to ease withdrawal and curb cravings, the official said.
At the federal level, regulators have been examining possible restrictions on high-concentration 7-OH products, a step the Porch Light clinical officer said could help consumers distinguish those products from lower-concentration, naturally derived kratom and better understand the associated risks.
Whether federal regulatory action advances and whether local treatment centers continue to see rising 7-OH caseloads are questions that will bear watching in the coming months.