Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Wednesday issued an emergency rule that immediately classifies 7-hydroxymitragynine—known as 7-OH and derived from the kratom plant—as a Schedule I controlled substance, halting sales across the state. The order makes Florida the first U.S. jurisdiction to ban the concentrated compound, which is widely sold in vape shops, gas stations and online. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson joined Uthmeier in Tampa to support the action. State regulators said they will begin inspecting about 5,000 retail outlets to ensure products containing 7-OH are removed from shelves. The FDA, which last month urged federal scheduling of 7-OH, warns the substance can bind to opioid receptors and, in concentrated form, may be up to 13 times more potent than morphine. Industry representatives pushed back. The Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust argued the ban lacks scientific backing, noting the FDA’s own database shows no confirmed deaths and only eight adverse events linked solely to 7-OH. The group said it will lobby lawmakers to overturn the measure and instead adopt regulations for safe use. Under Florida law, the Legislature must ratify the emergency scheduling during its 2026 session for the prohibition to remain in force. Until then, possession and sale of 7-OH in the state are subject to criminal penalties comparable to those for other Schedule I narcotics.