The 7-HOPE Alliance has issued a strong public statement condemning marketing practices of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OHM) products that could potentially appeal to children or adolescents. The nonprofit coalition is pushing for comprehensive safety measures to protect young people while maintaining legal access for responsible adult consumers. Board Member Jackie Subeck emphasized the organization's commitment to smart regulation, stating that broad product bans are counterproductive and could generate unsafe, unregulated markets. Instead, 7-HOPE advocates for specific protective strategies, including mandatory age verification, child-resistant packaging, and strict limitations on packaging design that might attract younger consumers.
Key recommended standards include enforcing 21+ age verification at both online and retail point-of-sale, implementing child-resistant packaging across all 7-OHM products, and prohibiting packaging that uses bright colors, cartoon-like imagery, or food and candy representations. The alliance highlighted a positive industry response, noting that one major manufacturer, EatOHMZ, voluntarily discontinued its 'Ice Cream Cone' product line. CEO Chris Wheeler acknowledged the importance of responsible marketing and committed to more professional packaging approaches. More information about the organization's initiatives can be found at https://www.7hopealliance.org.
7-HOPE's approach reflects a nuanced perspective that supports continued research and responsible access while prioritizing public health and youth protection. The organization continues to collaborate with policymakers and industry leaders to develop comprehensive, balanced regulatory frameworks that safeguard consumer interests. This balanced approach aims to prevent the creation of dangerous black markets while ensuring products remain inaccessible to minors through measures like those detailed in their regulatory proposals available at https://www.7hopealliance.org/regulatory-framework. The alliance's statement represents a significant development in the ongoing discussion about how to regulate emerging substance markets without repeating the mistakes of prohibitionist policies that have historically failed to protect public health.
