City of Paris bans the sale of 7-OH

The City of Paris has joined a growing list of local governments across Edgar and Clark counties in banning the sale and delivery of 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH, a potent synthetic opioid product often sold in gas stations, convenience stores and vape shops.

“These (drugs) have been designated by the US Food and Drug Administration as needing more warning labels on them. They’re a potent synthetic opioid. We don’t need them sold in our town, we don’t want them sold in our town and this resolution will prohibit them from being sold in town,” Paris Mayor Craig Smith said during a city council meeting on Tuesday, May 26, as he discussed a previously proposed ordinance.

The ordinance was passed by a unanimous vote of the city council without further discussion.

The new paperwork places restrictions on products containing concentrated 7-OH and kratom-derived substances that officials and recovery advocates say pose a growing public health risk. The ordinance does not criminalize personal possession or use; rather, it targets the commercial sale and delivery of the products within city limits. Violations carry civil fines ranging from $250 to $750 per offense.

According to Human Resources Center of Edgar and Clark Counties Director of Development and Communications Jonathan Burns, six jurisdictions in the two-county region have already adopted similar ordinances, including the villages of Kansas, Metcalf and Hume, the Clark County Board, the Edgar County Board and the Marshall City Council.

Burns described 7-OH as “a synthetic opioid sold legally in gas stations, vape shops and convenience stores” and said the substance has been documented as being up to 13 times more potent than morphine.

Poison Control exposure cases involving the products have risen sharply over the last decade, increasing from approximately 330 cases annually in 2015 to more than 1,800 cases by mid-2025, according to information distributed by the Human Resources Center. Burns also noted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended Schedule I classification for 7-OH in July 2025.

Products containing 7-OH are often marketed under names such as 7OHMZ, Cloud 7, RIZE and Mood Drops and are sold in forms including gummies, liquid shots, tablets and drink mixes.

During the same city council meeting, Smith and members of the city council also passed an updated ordinance prohibiting sexual harassment, a resolution for the sale of surplus property and two resolutions working with Lauterbach and Amen LLC for auditing  and actuarial services.