Kratom Found During Investigations Into Two Ole Miss Student Deaths: What Families Should Know
Updated September 23, 2026: The causes of both deaths remain under investigation. Authorities have not confirmed that kratom caused or contributed to either death. Key Points Two University of Mississippi students died in Oxford on Monday, September 21, 2026. As investigators work to determine what happened, one detail has drawn particular attention from law enforcement […]
Fake Kava? Why Poison Control Is Warning About Hidden Opioids in Kava-Labeled Products
Key Points A product says kava on the front of the package. It may feature tropical imagery, roots, leaves, or words such as botanical, relaxation, natural, euphoric, social, or wellness. Someone buying it could reasonably believe they are purchasing a modern version of a South Pacific plant that has been consumed traditionally for generations. In […]
What Is Kanna? Effects, Risks, Addiction Potential, and the Post-Kratom Market
Key Points Kratom disappearing from Tennessee store shelves did not eliminate the demand for products marketed for relaxation, energy, euphoria, mood enhancement, pain relief, or an altered state. Instead, the rapidly changing marketplace makes it increasingly important to understand the psychoactive botanicals, extracts, tablets, drinks, and other products consumers may encounter next. Tennessee prohibited the […]
Blue Lotus in Tennessee: The Search for Alternatives After the THCA, Kratom and 7-OH Bans
Key Points Blue Lotus At a Glance Topic At a Glance What is blue lotus? Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) is a psychoactive botanical associated with relaxation, sedation, dreamlike effects and possible euphoria. Why is it showing up more in Tennessee? Blue lotus is appearing more often as retailers and consumers look for alternatives after Tennessee’s […]
More Than 4,000 Pounds of Khat Seized at Atlanta Airport: So What Is Khat?
Key Points A drug that many Americans have probably never encountered just became the subject of one of Atlanta’s more unusual recent drug seizure announcements. On September 4, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that officers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had intercepted more than 4,000 pounds of khat during four separate enforcement actions […]
Ethylflualprazolam Found in a Georgia B707 Pill: What Tennessee and North Georgia Families Should Know
Updated on: September 2, 2026 by John Ingham Key Points An unfamiliar designer benzodiazepine has appeared behind a familiar alprazolam imprint. In April 2026, the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education’s NPS Discovery program reported finding ethylflualprazolam in a rectangular blue tablet marked “B707” that originated in Georgia. Laboratory testing also identified 4′-Cl deschloroalprazolam, […]
Phenazolam, or Clobromazolam, Is Rising as Bromazolam Comes Under Federal Control
Key Points The illicit drug supply rarely stays still. As one novel substance becomes widely recognized or controlled, a closely related compound can begin appearing alongside it, or taking its place. That appears to be happening with bromazolam and a newer designer benzodiazepine called phenazolam, also known as clobromazolam. Bromazolam has not disappeared from the […]
What Is Benzomorphan? Uses, Risks, and Addiction Potential
Key Points When people hear the word benzomorphan, they may assume it refers to a medication, street drug, or newly emerging synthetic opioid. Benzomorphan is actually the name of a chemical framework that has been used to create several pharmacologically active compounds. Some drugs built from the benzomorphan structure interact with opioid receptors and produce […]
MGM-16 vs. MGM-15: What to Know About These 7-OH-Related Drugs
Key Points MGM-15, also called dihydro-7-hydroxy mitragynine, and MGM-16 are synthetic 7-OH-related compounds that have been studied for opioid-like activity and are now specifically named in federal regulatory action. Both substances are connected to 7-hydroxymitragynine, often called 7-OH, the potent kratom-related compound that federal agencies have recently targeted for temporary scheduling. While many people are […]
Legal Highs: DEA’s 7-OH Scheduling Update, What It Means for Users and What Will Be Left on the Market
Key Points For years, smoke shops, gas stations, and online retailers have sold products marketed as “legal highs.” Some are framed as wellness products. Others are sold as energy boosters, mood enhancers, pain relievers, or alternatives to opioids, alcohol, or prescription medications. One of the most concerning substances in that market is 7-OH, short for […]
M523 Pill: What It Is, Risks, and When to Get Help
Key Points The M523 pill is a prescription opioid pain medication that contains oxycodone hydrochloride and acetaminophen. It is commonly identified as a white, capsule-shaped tablet with “M523” on one side and “10/325” on the other. The “10/325” marking means the tablet contains 10 mg of oxycodone hydrochloride and 325 mg of acetaminophen. Oxycodone is […]
Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl vs. 7-Hydroxymitragynine: What’s the Difference?
Updated on: September 21, 2026 by John Ingham September 2026 legal update: Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 were temporarily placed in federal Schedule I in August 2026. Tennessee separately banned kratom effective July 1, 2026. Earlier descriptions of these compounds as occupying a regulatory gap are no longer current. Key Points Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl vs. 7-Hydroxymitragynine: […]
Is Baclofen a Controlled Substance?
Key Points Baclofen is a prescription muscle relaxant used to treat muscle spasticity, stiffness, cramping, and spasms caused by conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and other spinal cord diseases. Because baclofen affects the central nervous system, many people wonder whether it is a controlled substance. Baclofen is not classified as a controlled […]
How Does Alcohol Affect the Heart?
Key Points Alcohol can affect nearly every system in the body, including the cardiovascular system. While many people associate alcohol use with liver damage, alcohol can also place direct strain on the heart, blood vessels, blood pressure, and heart rhythm. Over time, heavy or repeated drinking may increase the risk of high blood pressure, irregular […]
Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) and Alcohol: Why Mixing Them Can Be Dangerous
Updated on: September 2, 2026 by John Ingham Key Points Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril®) is a commonly prescribed muscle relaxer used to treat muscle spasms, strains, and injuries. While it can be effective for short-term pain relief, combining cyclobenzaprine with alcohol can create serious health risks. Both substances affect the central nervous system, and when used together, […]
How Much Does Sublocade Treatment Cost?
Key Points Sublocade is a once-monthly injectable form of buprenorphine used to treat moderate to severe opioid use disorder. While many people search for the price of Sublocade itself, the full cost of care is not only about the medication. Sublocade treatment requires a certified healthcare setting, trained clinical staff, medication ordering and storage procedures, […]
Medetomidine Withdrawal: The New “Rhino Tranq” Showing Up in Fentanyl
Updated on: September 21, 2026 by John Ingham September 2026 update: CDC reported on April 2, 2026 that medetomidine is being detected throughout the United States, primarily with illegally manufactured fentanyl. Severe withdrawal can escalate rapidly and may require emergency-department or intensive-care treatment. Opioid MAT does not specifically treat medetomidine withdrawal. Key Points The fentanyl […]
MGM-15: What to Know About This New Kratom-Derived Opioid
Clinically Reviewed Doug Wilbur, LPC-MHSP · July 11, 2026 Reviewed per our editorial standards Updated on: September 3, 2026 by John Ingham Key Points MGM-15 is starting to show up in conversations around kratom, 7-OH, smoke shop products, and new opioid-like substances. Some people may see it marketed as “MGM,” “DHM,” or a stronger kratom-style product. […]
Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone) Identification Guide
Key Points What Is Buprenorphine/Naloxone? Suboxone is a prescription medication used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). It combines buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist that helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, with naloxone, an opioid antagonist added primarily to discourage misuse through injection. It is commonly prescribed as part of medication assisted treatment (MAT) alongside […]
Is Pseudoindoxyl Stronger Than 7-OH? What This New Kratom Compound Actually Does
Updated on: September 21, 2026 by John Ingham September 2026 legal update: Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 were temporarily placed in federal Schedule I in August 2026. Tennessee separately banned kratom effective July 1, 2026. Earlier descriptions of these compounds as occupying a regulatory gap are no longer current. Key Points What Is Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl? […]