OKC Addiction Specialist Issues Advisory on Unscheduled Opioids Sold as Energy Supplements in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 27, 2026) -- Dr. Robert Westcott, medical director of Medical Therapy Associates, has identified a concerning trend of patients seeking treatment for dependency on unscheduled opioids sold as dietary supplements and energy boosters online and at gas stations and smoke shops across Oklahoma. Most Oklahomans who purchase these products are unaware of the associated health risks or the high potential for addiction.

“Oklahomans are unknowingly consuming products marketed as energy boosters that can contain unscheduled, highly addictive opioids,” Westcott said. “These products are made by private companies with no FDA oversight, and the FDA has cited research reporting that an opioid found in some of these products can be up to 13 times more potent than morphine.”

​The product is called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, a compound found in trace amounts in the kratom leaf. Because of its powerful opioid effect, labs are synthetically concentrating the alkaloid into high-potency forms that can severely impair users, despite being marketed as energy boosters. At these concentrated levels, 7-OH mimics the pharmacological profile of traditional opioids, driving rapid dependency and repeat use.


In November 2025, Oklahoma lawmakers restricted the sale of synthetic kratom alkaloids and 7-OH in concentrations exceeding 1% by weight. Following the ban, Medical Therapy Associates received patients seeking treatment for 7-OH addiction. While these substances are less accessible, their severe withdrawal profile may lead patients to illicit street drugs like fentanyl and heroin for relief.


Public health experts have noted a pattern in the supplement industry where manufacturers reformulate products to bypass new state laws. Emerging in the wake of Oklahoma’s recent restrictions is a compound known as MGM-15. Early reports and pharmacological data indicate that MGM-15 is a semi-synthetic kratom derivative that may be three times stronger than 7-OH and up to 50 times more potent than morphine.


Due to their potent chemical composition, unscheduled opioids such as 7-OH and MGM-15 induce debilitating withdrawal syndromes that render people unable to work or manage daily responsibilities. Relief is available for patients who seek medication-assisted treatment (MAT), including the specialized stabilization protocols offered by Medical Therapy Associates.


Westcott advises consumers to read ingredient labels carefully and be wary of products marketed as “kratom alkaloids,” as these highly concentrated compounds may carry significant risks of dependency. He recommends avoiding energy supplements with terms such as “MGM,” “DHM,” “Dihydro-7-Hydroxymitragynine” or “Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl” on the label. Marketing phrases like “Florida Compliant,” “Research Chemicals” and “Full-Spectrum Extract” often signal products with addictive properties that have not been evaluated by the FDA for safety or effectiveness.


Employers should be aware that neither 7-OH nor MGM-15 is detectable on standard five-panel or 10-panel drug screens, creating a critical safety blind spot in the workplace.


About Medical Therapy Associates 
Medical Therapy Associates is a private addiction medicine practice in Oklahoma City, established in 2001. The clinic is led by Dr. Robert Westcott, an addiction medicine specialist and former medical director of the Oklahoma Health Professionals Program. Medical Therapy Associates provides outpatient treatment for opioid use disorder, alcohol use disorder and dependence involving kratom-derived and other unscheduled substances, including 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), MGM-15 and tianeptine. The clinic is located at 3700 N. Classen Blvd., Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73118. More information is available at www.suboxone-support.com.



Media Contact: 
Mark Christian 
405-353-7900 
[email protected]
www.suboxone-support.com


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