KSHB 41 reporters Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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A total ban of synthetic 7-OH is moving forward in Kansas City, Missouri. City leaders and medical experts have referred to the substance as 'gas station heroin,' and it has remained completely legal and unregulated.
Kansas City's Finance, Governance and Public Safety committee held a public hearing on a revised ordinance to ban synthetic 7-OH and regulate natural kratom on Tuesday morning.
The original ordinance, first proposed two months ago, sought to ban all gas station drugs, including 7-OH, kratom and cannabanoids.
The substitute ordinance outlines a total ban for synthetic 7-OH, synthetic alkaloids and other products containing substances in higher amounts that are not found in natural leaf kratom. Unadulterated kratom would be regulated as a 21-and-up product, but it would still be allowed to be sold and distributed within city limits.
Dozens of community members, kratom users and those who have been impacted by 7-OH spoke out at Tuesday morning's committee meeting.
Many urged the Kansas City committee to not implement an outright ban, while others urged city leaders to include a total ban of both 7-OH and kratom.
The ordinance recommendation comes after KSHB 41's ongoing series, Strong High Weak Laws, explored the impacts of 7-OH usage in the Kansas City metro. It will now go before full council on Thursday, where city leaders are expected to take it up for a vote.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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