Kratom

Attorney General James Uthmeier issued the rule in August prohibiting the kratom byproduct alkaloid 7-hydroxymitragynine, known as 7-OH.

Attorney General James Uthmeier asked a judge to toss a challenge against an emergency rule filed by companies that sell the kratom byproduct of kratom and users of the substance.

The compound — available in such products as drinks, gummies and powders — has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years.

The compound 7-hydroxymitragynine is extracted from Kratom leaves. One key difference is that 7-OH products are more similar to prescription opioids like morphine.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued an emergency rule banning a compound known as 7-OH. This is a concentrated byproduct of kratom.

A bill that would have further regulated kratom failed to pass in the Legislature as its use continues to grow. Meanwhile, UF continues to lead much of the research surrounding the herb.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we discuss the state's kratom industry, the battle between former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis, how federal lawsuits are challenging the way real estate agents have been paid for decades, and why some lawmakers consider changing Florida’s official state bird.

Millions of Americans use kratom, which is sold at gas stations, vape shops and bars. It can act like an opiate on the body. The FDA warns against using kratom, but most states don't regulate it.

Florida lawmakers are moving forward with a bipartisan plan to regulate the use of kratom, an herbal supplement that causes opioid- and stimulant-like effects.

They range from property insurance reforms to fast-tracking the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Researchers found that kratom tea alleviated some withdrawal symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, in morphine-addicted mice.

Some people struggling with opioid addiction who switched to kratom swear the herb salvaged their lives. But federal agencies and the brother of a man who died from his kratom use warn of its risks.