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

Good afternoon. Thank you for allowing me to address the board. My name is Levi, I am a law-abiding citizen and proud civilian of the United States, and I come to you today on a mission of great importance: I am asking HHS not to treat 7-OH prohibition as a public-health *solution*. 7-OH has helped me remain functional, responsible, and present in my daily life. I am not asking the government to ignore its risks or allow an unregulated market. I support strict age limits, independent laboratory testing, accurate potency labels, child-resistant packaging, safety warnings, and serious penalties for companies that use deceptive names or manufacture tablets resembling prescription drugs. Those companies should be held accountable. Responsible adults should not be criminalized because certain manufacturers behave recklessly. The greatest danger facing people who use opioid-like substances is the illicit fentanyl supply. When legal access disappears, demand does not simply disappear with it. Some people will be pushed toward counterfeit pills, unknown powders, and untested black-market products. That is where the risk of poisoning and death becomes far greater. A Schedule I ban would also discourage the scientific research needed to understand 7-OH properly. The better response is controlled access, medical study, product standards, truthful labeling, and enforcement against irresponsible sellers. Please do not confuse regulation with prohibition. We can protect consumers without taking away a substance that many adults rely upon to function. A carefully regulated market is safer than an underground one. Please choose evidence, harm reduction, and responsible regulation over criminalization. Thank you for hearing us, WE THE PEOPLE!