Hey you, it’s me! 💋
Have you ever read something and thought, Why on earth didn’t I know about this?
That was me when I came across an ABC13 Houston investigation about a drug called 7-OH, sometimes nicknamed “gas station heroin.” Gas station heroin? I’m sorry, what?
I’m an empty nester now, with a daughter who’s a freshman in college and living on her own. I’ve raised kids. I’ve had the conversations about drugs, alcohol, friends and good decisions. At least, I thought I’d covered most of it.
Then I saw the packaging. Some products containing this powerful opioid compound are sold in brightly colored packages at gas stations, smoke shops and online. I could have walked right past them on my way to buy a soft drink and never known what they were.
That bothered me. Our kids stop for gas, pick up snacks, go to class and live their lives. What might they encounter that we haven’t even heard of yet? I started researching because I wanted to understand it myself, and I thought another parent might need this information too.
What Is 7-OH, and Why Do People Call It Gas Station Heroin?
7-OH is short for 7-hydroxymitragynine. It is an opioid compound associated with kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia. Kratom leaves naturally contain very small amounts of 7-OH. Some commercial products contain much more concentrated amounts.
7-OH acts on opioid receptors in the brain. Concentrated products can cause dependence, withdrawal and serious effects including dangerously slowed breathing. The FDA has warned consumers about the risks and has not approved 7-OH products for medical use.
“Gas station heroin” is a nickname used in public warnings and news coverage. It is not literally heroin. I want us to understand the actual substance and the risks, because a frightening nickname alone doesn’t tell parents what to look for.
Why Is 7-OH Sold in Gas Stations?
This was my next question. How does something with opioid effects end up where we buy snacks? Regulations and enforcement have varied across states, and concentrated kratom-derived products have been marketed in forms such as tablets, shots and gummies. In July 2026, the DEA announced it intends to temporarily place 7-OH in Schedule I, the most restricted category of controlled substances. Here in Texas, the Attorney General has sued sellers over high-potency kratom products. Retail availability is not evidence that a product is safe or FDA-approved.
What Does 7-OH Look Like?
This is the part that stopped me. Many of these products do not look like drugs at all. They look like candy.
What to look for:
- Bright, colorful packaging with fruit pictures, cartoon-style mascots or candy-like branding
- Sweet flavors, such as fruit, mint or other candy flavors
- Forms that look harmless: gummies, tablets, small “shot” bottles, drink mixes and even products that look like ice cream treats
- Words on the label such as 7-OH, 7-hydroxymitragynine, 7-Hydroxy or MGM-15. Some products also mention kratom, kratom extract or mitragynine, although those terms alone do not establish that a product contains concentrated 7-OH
- Where they sit in the store: at the counter beside the candy, near the energy drinks or in the “relaxation” or “sleep” section
Where you might find them at home: in the car, a backpack or purse, a jacket pocket, a desk drawer or a bedroom. And the next time you stop for gas, take a look at the counter. Then show your kids what you saw, so they know what to look for too.
Would you have recognized them? I wouldn’t have. And I wonder how many young people assume something sold openly beside ordinary products must be harmless. That assumption alone is worth talking about at home.
Why Might Teenagers and College Students Try It?
Curiosity. Friends. Stress. Pain. Wanting to relax or feel better. Or simply believing a product described as natural is safe. We shouldn’t assume we know why any one child might experiment.
I remember kids experimenting with drugs when I was in junior high. Junior high! I can’t tell you the perfect age to start these conversations. You know your children, their maturity and what they’re exposed to. But I do think we need to start earlier than many of us expect.
And if addiction runs in your family, talk about that too. Family history can increase the risk of a substance use disorder, although it does not determine anyone’s future. I wish more of us had known how to have those conversations openly.
What Warning Signs Should Parents Pay Attention To?
We look for the obvious things. But sometimes the clues are ordinary changes we explain away. Grades slipping. Pulling away from friends. Quitting an activity they once loved. Sleeping differently. Becoming unusually withdrawn.
Of course, those things can also be normal teenage changes, stress, anxiety or something entirely unrelated to drugs. They are reasons to check in, not reasons to accuse.
I wish I’d paid more attention to the little things my kids loved, the activities, friendships and routines that made them light up. When something changes, it gives us a place to begin.
“Hey, I noticed you haven’t wanted to go to practice lately. What’s going on?”
“You haven’t mentioned your friends much. Everything okay?”
“You seem a little different. Want to talk?”
The signs and symptoms of 7-OH use, as well as withdrawal, can vary from person to person. How much someone has taken, how long they have been using it and whether they have developed dependence can all make a difference. Physical signs associated with opioid effects can include unusual drowsiness, confusion, nausea, pinpoint pupils and reduced alertness. With dependence, stopping can bring restlessness, sweating, body aches and sleep difficulties. None of these signs alone proves 7-OH use. Extremely slow breathing or inability to wake someone is an emergency: call 911 and give naloxone if available.
When Your Child Doesn’t Sound Like Themselves
The ABC13 investigation follows Rae Heath, whose 19-year-old son, Jonas, a music major at Oklahoma State University, died after exposure to kratom-related substances including 7-OH. Rae shared that when Jonas called her on her birthday, he sounded “out of it.” Hearing that made me think differently about my own phone calls with my daughter.
I cannot imagine what Rae has lived through. Nothing about sharing her story means she should have known or could have prevented what happened. Most of us would not have known what we were hearing. I certainly wouldn’t have.
Now I wonder: Is my daughter answering questions clearly? Does she sound unusually tired or confused? Would it help to FaceTime and see how she’s doing?
Maybe the next day I call again: “Hey, you didn’t sound quite like yourself yesterday. I just wanted to check on you. Everything okay?”
Parent intuition isn’t a diagnosis. A tired college student may simply be tired. But if something feels genuinely wrong, I want to ask another question, or find someone nearby who can check on her if I’m seriously worried. Sometimes our kids need us to ask twice.
How Do We Talk About Drugs Without Shutting the Conversation Down?
I want my daughter to be able to tell me something uncomfortable, embarrassing or scary and know I’ll listen. That doesn’t mean there are no boundaries or consequences. It means I want the truth, even when it’s hard to hear.
Maybe start with, “Have you heard of 7-OH?” or “Did you know some of these products are sold at gas stations?” Ask what they’d do if someone offered them an unfamiliar pill, gummy or shot. Ask what their friends have heard. Then give them room to answer.
If every question sounds like an interrogation, eventually they may stop answering. I’m still learning this part too.
What If Your Child Has Already Tried 7-OH?
Stay calm enough to get the facts. Ask what they took, when, how much, whether they mixed it with anything, and how they feel now. For a suspected exposure or poisoning, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. If they cannot be awakened or are breathing slowly or abnormally, call 911 immediately and administer naloxone if available.
If they’ve been using regularly, reach out to a healthcare provider or qualified substance use professional. Dependence and withdrawal are possible, and help is available. If you don’t know where to begin, look for a local drug counselor, therapist, pediatrician or parent support group. We were never meant to figure out every hard part of raising children by ourselves.
The Texas Mother Working for Change: Jonas’s Law
Rae Heath founded the 7-OH Truth Project after Jonas’s death and is advocating for stronger protections through proposed legislation known as Jonas’s Law. Her family’s story deserves to be told carefully and with compassion.
If you want to learn more, visit 7ohtruthproject.org, read the original ABC13 investigation, and check the organization’s current guidance for contacting lawmakers.
From a Mother to Another Parent
I thought I had already had the important conversations. Now I’m an empty nester with a college freshman living on her own, and I’m realizing there are still things I need to learn.
My older kids either attended college during COVID, when campus life looked completely different, or took classes online. This is new territory for me. Some days I think I’ve got it. Other days I wonder whether I should call, text, FaceTime or just leave the girl alone!
If you’re navigating this college-parent chapter too, let’s connect. I’d genuinely love to know what you’re learning, what’s been hard and what you wish someone had told you before move-in day.
And if you have questions about 7-OH, addiction or how to start these conversations, write me back through the Pen Pal section of The Sweet Spot. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll do my best to find someone qualified who does.
Please share this with another parent. Change begins with awareness, and the more informed we are, the better equipped we are to help our children navigate the world they’re growing up in.
Because at the end of the day, us parents have to stick together.
It takes a village, and I’m glad you’re part of mine. ❤️
Don’t quit in the quiet.
Until our next chat. Just stay sweet out there.
I love you,
Jenn 💋
Resources for Parents
- ABC13 Houston: Grieving Texas mom fights to ban drug feds call “gas station heroin”
- FDA: Hiding in Plain Sight, 7-OH Products
- 7-OH Truth Project
- Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
- SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- Suspected overdose: call 911