Legal morphine will remain on the Florida shelf, as lawmakers cannot act.

With the close injury at the 60-day Florida legislative meeting, lawmakers had the opportunity to address the growing prevalence of 7-hydroxymitraginine products in Florida.

They did nothing.

Sen. Jay Collins’ proposal to ban products by R. Tampa Senator, has died in the Senate committee before lawmakers closed the Senate committee until 2026. They argue that it should not be available to consumers.

However, they will remain at gas stations and smoke shops around the state. Those who want better regulations, or virtually all regulations will have to wait until next year.

“I’m not for the government anymore, but not because I have money in my pocket, or because my kids can buy gas station heroin on the street,” Collins said in an interview. “That’s ridiculous.”

A reporter for the Tampa Bay Times recently visited four gas stations and smoke shops in the area and found a wide variety of 7-OH products of varying strengths and flavors. According to state law, products are legally sold only to products over the age of 21.

However, age limits are essentially the only rule governing 7-OH.

At the heart of the discussion about how 7-hydroxymitraginine is Kratom, a Southeast Asian herb commonly sold in teahouses and in high concentrations of extracts. Kratom contains numerous chemicals called alkaloids, and 7-hydroxymitraginine is the most concerned for researchers studying plants.

“The active ingredient is pure opioids,” wrote Christopher McCurdy, a professor at the University of Florida who studies Kratom, a 7-hydroxymitra aginine product, in an email.

Collins’ actions were victims of the legislative process. He tried to attach the 7-OH ban to an unrelated bill later in the session, but due to the low time he had to abandon his efforts. The infighting between the House, Senate and governor’s offices — all controlled by Republicans — will occasionally halt Congress’ equipment this year.

In 2023, The Times published a study, a fatal dose. This found that medical inspectors blamed Kratom for contributing to hundreds of fatal overdose in Florida. Collins’ first proposal was part of a larger effort to regulate herbs and was the subject of heavy lobbying from both the 7-hydroxymitraginine industry and the traditional Kratom business group.

The American Kratom Association, the most well-known Kratom industrial group, is calling for a ban on 7-hydroxymitraginine products. Many in the Kratom industry say that 7-OH products should not be considered Kratom at all. They note that 7-OH tablets are synthesized to concentrate the chemicals to a prevalence that is not found in natural kratom leaves.

The fast-growing 7-hydroxymitraginine industry claims that its products are safe and an important tool in the fight against the opioid epidemic.

However, researchers dispute that. Abhisheak Sharma, a colleague at UF’s McCurdy, likened one product to “Legal Morphine.”

McCurdy said both Sharma and McCurdy consulted Collins on his bill, regulating Kratom and banning 7-OH.

Collins said he will sponsor similar laws next year.