Experts Warn: Deadly Drug Being Sold in Michigan Gas Stations

Over the years, Michigan gas stations have become more than just a spot to grab gas and a soda. Walk inside, and the counters are overflowing with all kinds of junk. You’ll see energy boosters, vapes, sketchy diet pills, and plenty of other unregulated stuff that nobody really knows much about.

Earlier this year, we told you about the FDA's warning on a dangerous product nicknamed “gas station heroin,” officially called tianeptine. That was just one of many questionable products sold in convenience stores across the state.

Deadly New Drug Showing Up in Michigan Gas Stations

Now, health officials are raising alarms about something they believe is even more dangerous: a synthetic drug called 7-OH. It’s a byproduct of kratom, and while it’s completely legal, it acts a lot like opioids.

According to ABC 12, Dr. Jim Hudgens from New Paths Behavioral Health and Recovery Center in Flint says people are already overdosing on it, and some are using it as a substitute for fentanyl. The kicker is that you can buy it as easily as grabbing an energy drink. It's crazy how easy this stuff is to get.

Michigan Leaders Push to Ban Dangerous 7-OH Drug

Hudgens says even though sales are supposed to be limited to people 21 and older, 7-OH is still finding its way into the hands of younger users. He’s now teaming up with Attorney General Dana Nessel to push for tougher rules on how it’s sold. On top of that, the FDA has already asked the DEA to step in and classify 7-OH as a Schedule 1 drug. If that happens, it would be flat-out illegal nationwide and treated the same as heroin.