MIAMI — The synthetic opioid 7-OH is banned in Florida, but the Drug Enforcement Administration says it’s still being sold in smoke shops, gas stations, corner stores and online.

“People are assuming it’s something that’s safe that you can buy at the corner gas station and it’s actually completely the opposite,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Miley Aley.

Local 10 News’ Byron Tollefson received an exclusive look inside the DEA’s West Miami lab, it’s busiest in the country.

There, seized 7-OH tablets sit, collecting dust.

The drug comes from Kratom, a tropical tree from southeast Asia.

“You can chew up the leaves, you can crush the leaves, dry them, smoke them, ingest them, but it is an analgesic and stimulant,” said DEA Miami Southeast Laboratory Associate Director Cami Dubach.

It’s addictive and 13 times more potent than morphine, connecting to the same parts of the brain as heroin and other opioids.

Public health officials say it’s been linked to fatal overdoses.

“They’re taking extremely potent concentrations of dangerous and addictive chemicals,” said Aley.

It can be found in tablet-form with a “7” label or as part of drink mixes.

It can also be made appealing to kids, marketed as candies, everyday cereals and even ice cream cones.

“That’s disturbing,” said Dubach. “As a parent myself, I think that is something you want to talk to your kids about.”

Florida banned 7-OH last August.

One South Florida vape shop owner who spoke to Local 10 News and asked not to be identified said he took it off his shelves right away, but it was devastating for his bottom line.

People would spend hundreds of dollars on 7-OH products every few days.

He says he could’ve opened a store just for 7-OH.

“That might consist of 20% of what we make,” he said. “Cause it’s that good of a product and it’s that helpful.”

Recently, the DEA seized tens of thousands of vape cartridges, THC products and more from large warehouses and smoke shops around the state. The DEA says this was a major hub, sending products all over the country to be sold over-the-counter.

“We’re seeing these sold near our schools and education facilities,” said Aley.

The vape shop owner acknowledged 7-OH is addictive, but he argued that it truly helped his customers dealing with chronic pain.

Now, he’s only allowed to sell a tablet with only a tiny trace of 7-OH left.

“The 7-OH we had, it got rid of the pain and it gave her energy to go throughout the day,” he said. “Now when customers come in and ask if we have 7-OH, I’m like nah, but we got something similar, and it just don’t do the justice that they need.”

Still, Broward Health Associate Medical Director Dr. Edward Nieves says it is dangerous.

She says many patients won’t know how strong it really is or what to do during an overdose.

“It’s disguised as something that appears benign, but it could be very harmful,” said Nieves. “It could be worse than morphine.”

While 7-OH is banned in Florida, it remains unregulated at the federal level.

The U.S. Government hasn’t proposed regulating it like other opioids.

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