• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Digital News Updates
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business

Attorney General Knudsen Warns Montanans of Deadly Over-the-Counter Opioid

September 7, 2025

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is warning Montanans about the dangers of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a powerful opioid derivative that is being sold over the counter in gas stations, vape shops, and convenience stores across the state.

7-OH is a concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant and has been linked to a growing number of deaths. According to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, 29 deaths in the state since 2020 have involved 7-OH.

The compound’s potency is extreme: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found 7-OH to be 13 times stronger than morphine. Health officials warn that it can cause respiratory depression, physical dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and in severe cases, death. Its effects mirror some of the most dangerous opioids, including fentanyl, morphine, and oxycodone.

“Please educate yourself and your family about the dangers of 7-OH. The drug may look harmless at the convenience store, but it can take your life,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “As Attorney General, I will continue to do everything in my power to educate Montanans about the dangers of drugs, specifically opioids and the devastating impact they can have on Montanans and our communities.”

While naloxone, the opioid reversal drug, can be effective in treating a 7-OH overdose, Knudsen emphasized prevention and awareness as the most important tools in combating its spread.

Though often marketed as “kratom,” today’s 7-OH products bear little resemblance to natural kratom leaves, which have historically been used in small amounts to treat headaches, anxiety, and insomnia. Instead, the products commonly sold are highly concentrated and synthetically enhanced, designed to deliver a far more powerful—and dangerous—effect.

7-OH is available in multiple forms, including powders, capsules, and liquid extracts. Despite its risks, it is not currently listed as a controlled substance in Montana or under federal law. The FDA does not approve it for any use, and it cannot be lawfully included in dietary supplements or conventional foods.

By: DNU staff

Filed Under: Featured, Home Featured, News

Related Articles:

  • Alphabet Inc. Set to Report Q3 2025 Earnings Amid Strong Growth in Cloud and AI
  • Poll: Americans support Antifa terror designation
  • UM Awarded $1.2M Grant to Launch Rural Youth Behavioral Health Career Pathways
  • Daines, Sheehy Applaud Senate Confirmation of William Mercer as Federal Judge for Montana
  • Gianforte Appoints Cunningham, Zink as Thirteenth Judicial District Judges
  • MHP Operation in Butte Leads to Major Drug Seizures, 34 Arrests

Primary Sidebar

— Advertisement —

Digital News Updates Logo

Recent News Posts

  • UM Awarded $1.2M Grant to Launch Rural Youth Behavioral Health Career Pathways
  • TEDx event at Montana State University set for Nov. 5
  • MHP Operation in Butte Leads to Major Drug Seizures, 34 Arrests
  • Missoula Artist Creates UM’s Latest Native Griz Design

Recent Politics Posts

  • Gianforte Appoints Cunningham, Zink as Thirteenth Judicial District Judges
  • Daines, Sheehy Applaud Senate Confirmation of William Mercer as Federal Judge for Montana
  • Daines Introduces Bill to Protect Religious Student Groups on College Campuses
  • USITC Advances Probe Into Russian Palladium Imports After Montana Delegation Push

Recent Business Posts

  • Nvidia’s Q3 2025 Earnings Report: Anticipating Continued Growth Amid AI Demand
  • Stock Market Reaches Record Highs Amid Soft Inflation Data and Strong Earnings
  • Alphabet Inc. Set to Report Q3 2025 Earnings Amid Strong Growth in Cloud and AI
  • Apple Prepares to Release Q4 2025 Earnings Amid Strong iPhone 17 Sales

Copyright © 2025 Digital News Updates, All Rights Reserved.