At the Kapua Kava Bar in Fort Myers, owner Rob Fontano sells kratom powders, extracts and even chocolates. They also sell freshly made kratom tea. “It’s helped more people than I can count,” Fontano said. “(Helped people) get off of opiates and painkillers, and in some cases, alcohol.” Fontano said kratom can be stimulating or relaxing, depending on which type you use. The effects, he said, are supposed to be subtle. “Nothing is going to prevent you from driving home,” he explained. “You’re not going to go home and kick the dog and lose your job.”What Fontano won’t sell is a concentrated form of a compound found in kratom, known as 7-OH. When isolated, it’s much more potent and often sold in capsules. “Once you start synthesizing products and turning them into 100 times their intended potency, and, this stuff is extremely addictive. It’s very dangerous,” Fontano said. “It’s not something I would ever sell, regardless of the profit margin.” Now, legally, 7-OH cannot be sold in Florida. Attorney General James Uthmeier banned the sale of it back in August, calling it a danger to the public. A legal battle is underway in Florida over the decision, as some challengers to the ban are working to get it overturned. “People are on it and say, ‘I can’t get off of it,’” Dr. Robert Limbaugh explained. “You start talking about the symptoms they are having, and they’re having the same symptoms as someone going through an opioid withdrawal.” Limbaugh works in addiction medicine for Lee Health. He said 7-OH can cause liver failure and mentioned reports of it causing seizures. While the compound may be banned, patients have told him they can still get it here — usually at gas stations. “I think there needs to be more research done on kratom (7-OH). And if we find the benefits of (it), great,” Dr. Limbaugh said. “Let’s make it a controlled substance to start with and start from there. But I don’t think that you should be able to go to a gas station and get something this powerful.” Hearings are expected this week in the legal case. The ban runs for a year, but the attorney general is working with lawmakers on legislation to make it permanent. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
FORT MYERS, Fla. —
At the Kapua Kava Bar in Fort Myers, owner Rob Fontano sells kratom powders, extracts and even chocolates.
They also sell freshly made kratom tea.
“It’s helped more people than I can count,” Fontano said. “(Helped people) get off of opiates and painkillers, and in some cases, alcohol.”
Fontano said kratom can be stimulating or relaxing, depending on which type you use. The effects, he said, are supposed to be subtle.
“Nothing is going to prevent you from driving home,” he explained. “You’re not going to go home and kick the dog and lose your job.”
What Fontano won’t sell is a concentrated form of a compound found in kratom, known as 7-OH. When isolated, it’s much more potent and often sold in capsules.
“Once you start synthesizing products and turning them into 100 times their intended potency, and, this stuff is extremely addictive. It’s very dangerous,” Fontano said. “It’s not something I would ever sell, regardless of the profit margin.”
Now, legally, 7-OH cannot be sold in Florida. Attorney General James Uthmeier banned the sale of it back in August, calling it a danger to the public.
A legal battle is underway in Florida over the decision, as some challengers to the ban are working to get it overturned.
“People are on it and say, ‘I can’t get off of it,’” Dr. Robert Limbaugh explained. “You start talking about the symptoms they are having, and they’re having the same symptoms as someone going through an opioid withdrawal.”
Limbaugh works in addiction medicine for Lee Health. He said 7-OH can cause liver failure and mentioned reports of it causing seizures.
While the compound may be banned, patients have told him they can still get it here — usually at gas stations.
“I think there needs to be more research done on kratom (7-OH). And if we find the benefits of (it), great,” Dr. Limbaugh said. “Let’s make it a controlled substance to start with and start from there. But I don’t think that you should be able to go to a gas station and get something this powerful.”
Hearings are expected this week in the legal case. The ban runs for a year, but the attorney general is working with lawmakers on legislation to make it permanent.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.