Comment from Boyles, Levi, HHS-OASH-2026-0232, HHS-OASH-2026-0232-0001, 2026-13608

To the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health: My name is Levi, and I am asking you not to ban 7-hydroxymitragynine or place it in Schedule I. 7-OH has genuinely helped me function as a normal, responsible adult. I understand that it carries risks and that the current market needs stronger oversight. I support requiring purchasers to be 21 or older, independent laboratory testing, accurate dosage labels, child-resistant packaging, and clear warnings against mixing it with alcohol, using it while pregnant or breastfeeding, or driving while impaired. I also strongly support banning irresponsible marketing. Companies should not be allowed to use names such as “Dopium” or “Opia,” target people struggling with addiction, or press tablets to resemble Xanax bars or prescription drugs. Those practices are reckless and should be stopped. But regulating a product is not the same as criminalizing it. A Schedule I ban would remove access from adults who rely on 7-OH responsibly and could push some people toward far more dangerous illicit substances. We are living through a fentanyl-driven overdose crisis. Counterfeit pills and unregulated street drugs are killing people. Removing a legal, tested alternative without fully considering the consequences could make that crisis worse, not better. Please choose strict regulation, scientific research, responsible manufacturing standards, and adult-only access instead of prohibition. Hold bad companies accountable without punishing every responsible adult who has benefited from this substance. For me, this is not an abstract policy debate. It directly affects my ability to function and live my life. Please reconsider this action before making a decision that could unintentionally harm the people it is intended to protect. Thank you for your time and consideration.