Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, and other officials to announce bold action to protect Americans against the harmful 7-OH substance. In his remarks, Senator Mullin shared how his family, like millions of others, has been personally affected by addiction and why this announcement is critical for communities across the country. 

The decision to schedule 7-OH will give law enforcement officers the proper tools to keep Americans safe. 7-OH has not been proven safe or effective in any use but is showing up in products such as gummies, tablets, and drink mixes. This is an unapproved, dangerous, substance with unproven claims and companies should not be illegally marketing products that contain 7-OH as dietary supplements. Alarmingly, these harmful products are easily available in gas stations, vape retailers, and convenience stores across the country.

Sen. Mullin’s full remarks can be found here and below. 

“You know, we all get involved in issues for purposes of either passion or personal experiences and with the opioid crisis or the drug epidemic we’ve had throughout the country, it’s affected almost all of us, either directly or indirectly. For us, my wife and I, it’s affected us directly. You know, unfortunately, we have family members that we love and we want to take care of, and if you’ve ever dealt with a family member that is struggling with drug use, and you’re the caregiver of that individual, they go missing for days and you’re worried about your phone ringing. You’re afraid to be away from your phone. The phone rings at two o’clock in the morning, you pick it up because you’re afraid to hear what you’re worried about 24/7 is they found him dead.”

“And typically, it’s, ‘Hey, I got arrested. I got in a fight. I’m in trouble. Got stabbed. Can you come get me?’ The list goes on, and I can give you horror stories of all the phone calls that my wife and I have received over the last 20 years, and then when someone goes and they go to rehab, and you get out, and because, my Lord, we’ve been to every rehab center you can imagine. I’m sure some of you guys have experienced the same thing, and they’re clean, they’re doing better, and they find out they can go to a gas station or a vape shop or a skate shop or bike shop, and they can find something that’s legal for them to take, that gives them the same high, and they can still pass drug tests, even though they’re on probation. And yet, it’s a road to the same addiction, and you see the pattern. You see it in their face, you see it in their eyes. You see it in their words. You see it in their behavior.”

“And you’re going, oh my gosh, here we go again. And you go, get them drug tests, and they’re passing. You’re going, what is going on? How can they pass this? What are you doing? I’m not doing anything. I’m not doing anything illegal, but you can read it because you’ve been with that loved one so long. You see it, and you’re helpless, and you once again, you know where the road is headed.”

“And then, honestly, those that of our family members that have struggled with addiction, when they actually get put in prison, it’s probably the first night you actually sleep well, because you know where they’re at. You know you’re not going to get that phone call. You don’t like it, but you can breathe for the first time.”

“And in our case, a person gets out after years in prison, and they find it a drugstore again. And these individuals that are selling, know what they’re doing. They know the individuals they’re targeting. They know the loophole and sell it as a dietary substance… And now that industry has grown from nothing to over a $9 billion industry, more than even opioids that are selling on the street, which is at $5 billion today, because they justify it. It’s legal, but it’s an addiction that’s ruining lives. It’s an addiction that’s truly killing people because it leads them down the road that sometimes they’ll never recover from.”

“And we’ve known this, and for the first time, we have a secretary that not only has a backbone to do something about it, but he does it because he has personal experience. He understands addiction better than probably any of us, and it takes somebody like that that understands the danger that this causes to stand up and push against this.”

“I say illegal industry because they’re using every loophole they possibly can, and once again, selling it as an energy drink or a dietary but yet, the packages look like it came off the shelf of a cereal box or a candy bar or one of their favorite Mountain Dew drinks, the list goes on. They know who they’re targeting. And so, Secretary Kennedy, thank you for standing up and actually doing something about this, because this isn’t anything new. This has been around for years. But without your leadership, this would never happen. So, from my family, and every single family that has dealt with this, God, bless you and thank you.” 

For additional information on the announcement, click here.

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