Florida Bans 7-OH Kratom Extract
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier held a press conference last week to announce the state took emergency action making it illegal to distribute 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, in Florida. 7-OH is a concentrated derivative of kratom that can act like an opioid in the body. Kratom is a substance derived from a plant grown in Southeast Asia. Its leaves can be chewed, brewed in a beverage or ground into a powder to be made into pills or edible products. Some users of kratom say it helps with pain relief, anxiety, and PTSD treatment, and it creates calming and euphoric effects. Kratom is legal, unregulated, and available at most smoke shops and vape stores in Central Florida. The state’s ban is on the 7-OH concentrate only and not on any other kratom product.
Dr. Christopher McCurdy is a Professor in the University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy and a leading researcher of kratom and 7-OH. He joins Engage to explain what differentiates the two products and his concerns regarding the sales of 7-OH.
One of the largest causes of concern surrounding 7-OH is the lack of research to support the therapeutic claims made by manufacturers and retailers. There have been no FDA trials involving the substance, and data regarding usage and overdoses is largely anecdotal. Despite this lack of research, there is a strong lobby of advocacy for legal and responsible sales and use of 7-OH from the kratom industry. The Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust is one of those advocates and National Policy Director Jeff Smith joins Engage to discuss its use and how he thinks it should be regulated.
Meet Ava the AI First Responder
Artificial Intelligence seems to be creeping into just about everything. Law enforcement agencies are also navigating the technology. If you call the Volusia County non-emergency line, a new AI assistant will probably answer the phone. Ava helps the Sheriff’s Office route non-emergency calls to free up 911 dispatchers and reduce response times. After a testing phase, Ava officially launched this month. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood joins Engage to discuss their new first responder and what it means for public safety.
Okahumpka Rosenwald School Restoration Faces New Challenges
In the community of Okahumpka in Lake County, a restoration project is underway to save a historic site that shaped a generation of Black students during segregation. The Okahumpka Rosenwald School was built in 1929. The modest wood schoolhouse is one of about 5,000 built with funding from Julius Rosenwald. The philanthropist and part owner and President of Sears partnered with Booker T. Washington to create learning spaces across the segregated south for Black children. Only a fraction of the Rosenwald schools still stand today.
The Okahumpka school is tied to another important civil rights pioneer, Virgil Hawkins, who was raised in that community. He fought to integrate the University of Florida law school, and his family donated the land for the Rosenwald building. Restoration plans include building a new community center to honor Hawkins. The people working on this project today are racing against time. Rising costs and funding deadlines are threatening the success of the restoration. Chip D’Amico, Board Member with the Okahumpka Community Club and Fundraising Chairman, joins Engage to discuss the setbacks, progress, and what needs to be done to save the project.