Public health officials in Fayette County are warning people about "gas station heroin," a dangerous and highly addictive substance popping up across the country.
Bob Baker, the Fayette County coroner, issued a public health warning about the unregulated product.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, is a concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant. The FDA said it is a "dangerous and illegal opioid."
"It's 13 times more potent than morphine," said Baker.
Baker said the unregulated product is popping up at gas stations, convenience stores and vape shops across the country, including in Fayette County.
"It's in Fayette County, it's in Westmoreland County, it's in Washington, it's all over the nation," Baker said.
It comes in many different forms -- including liquid, powder, gummies and packets with chewable tablets inside -- with a variety of flavors to choose from.
"It's marketed as energy drinks, little bottles, similar to the 5-Hour Energy, and it is targeted towards our youth," Baker said. "They have powder that's added to drinks. It can be in gummies. It can be in little ice cream cones. So, it's in a lot of different forms."
Baker said 7-OH is synthetically made and then processed down, making it extremely powerful.
"The drug in itself, I'm not concerned about the kratom leaf or the kratom drinks or the teas because it's in very low quantities. But it's when it’s processed and then it’s packaged in drinks and additives and all the different products sold in these convenience stores, vape stores," Baker said.
Baker said there is no medical purpose for the highly addictive drug, which can cause hallucinations and insomnia. Some 7-OH products are being marketed for anxiety or depression, but Baker warns that parents need to pay attention to what their kids may get their hands on.
"The parents need to really watch and catch what these kids are buying and really pay attention to what's around their home or the symptoms that these kids would be showing, that they're showing that they're very tired throughout the day or having different problems," Baker said.
He said some area workers have lost their jobs after taking 7-OH.
"I actually spoke to a guy who had to terminate employment for two employees that were using this because they were having problems at their job,"Baker said.
Baker said it's still too early to determine all the side effects, but he said the addictive opioid can lead to a dangerous path.
"This could be a gateway drug to some more potent, powerful and the addiction level,"Baker said.
The FDA is now working to ban the product. On Thursday, the administration formally recommended 7-OH be classified as a controlled substance. The Drug Enforcement Administration is reviewing the recommendation.
"We're looking at a nationwide problem, and we really want to get this off the streets as soon as we can,"Baker said."This could be that gateway drug that we're talking about, and we don't want that to be our nation's next opioid epidemic."