#243 Steve Robinson - What If China’s Secret Weapon Was Sold at Your Local Gas Station?

7-OH, or 7-hydroxymitragynine, is a potent synthetic opioid derived from [restricted term] that presents a serious risk due to its potency and the poor understanding of its effects.

7-Oh: Potent Synthetic Opioid From [restricted term]

7-OH, similar to the relationship between poppy seeds and [restricted term] or coca leaves and cocaine, is a synthetic opioid developed from the [restricted term] plant. [restricted term], used for centuries, produces effects ranging from stimulant to anxiolytic when consumed as tea. Alkaloids in the natural [restricted term] leaves are responsible for its effects. As [restricted term] leaves decay, they produce trace amounts of 7OH. To create a concentrated form of 7OH, a complex chemical process is applied to [restricted term], yielding a potent synthetic substance far stronger than the naturally occurring plant.

Steve Robinson refers to 7OH as a new and synthetic opioid, while Shawn Ryan notes that it is derived from a tree in Southeast Asia and goes through an elaborate chemical process after harvesting. This synthetic drug is more potent than [restricted term], and while Ryan reads that 7OH is 46 times more potent than [restricted term], the exact potency can vary depending on the measurement methods. This variability and the comparison to bath salts highlight the dangerous nature of 7OH.

7-Oh Is 46 Times More Potent Than [restricted term] and Extremely Dangerous

Shawn Ryan emphasizes that 7OH's potency may reach levels up to 46 times that of [restricted term], making its precise dosage challenging to determine due to a lack of testing and regulatory oversight. 7OH's effects are so poorly understood that there are no tests available to determine its presence in the bloodstream or its metabolites, signaling a wide gap in knowledge of its health risks.

7-Oh Dosage and Effects Are Poorly Understood, Posing Health Risks

Steve Robinson discusses the effects of 7OH and the risks involved. One disturbing account involves a family reporting to Robinson that their daughter became addicted to a vape pen purchased through Snapchat, resulting in an overdose that necessitated the use of [restricted term]—a strong indicator of opioid involvement, possibly ...

Steve Robinson and Shawn Ryan discuss the deceptive marketing and widespread distribution of synthetic drugs, focusing on issues such as misleading health claims and regulatory loopholes.

"Synthetic Drugs: Deceptively Marketed As 'Natural', 'Safe', 'Non-addictive'"

Robinson explains that the marketing of 7-OH often claims it's natural because it originates from a plant, but this is misleading due to the significant chemical processing involved. He equates this deceptive practice to the early days of the prescription opioid epidemic. Likewise, Vince Sanders and his company, CBD American Shaman, sell 7OH as a plant-based medicine despite its dangerous potential. A Kansas City Star story recently highlighted these deceptive practices.

Sales reps at 7-OH stores, as captured in undercover videos, mislead customers by claiming the products are all-natural, suggesting they can replace prescription painkillers and [restricted term] without the risk of addiction. These claims are dangerous and reflect the common marketing strategy misrepresenting synthetic drugs as harmless alternatives.

Synthetic Drugs Distributed Via Convenience Stores, Gas Stations, and Head Shops Across US

The podcast reveals that synthetic drugs like 7-OH are sold at convenience stores, gas stations, and head shops across the United States. Tianeptine, labeled as "gas station heroin," is an example of how these drugs have entered the everyday consumer space. These substances, including ones with names like Opia and Perc, mimic opioid products and are being distributed through a wide and opaque supply chain.

Exploiting Hemp & Cbd Loopholes For "Hemp-Derived" Sales

Robinson addresses the exploitation of hemp and CBD legal loopholes. He discusses how, after the legalization of hemp cultivation in 2018, a wave of intoxicating hemp products with psychoactive chemicals emerged. Illegally grown cannabis is sold as hemp-derived, notably in non-legalization states like Tennessee. Hemp shops in these areas use loopholes to sell cannabis from legal cultivation states surreptitiously.

In Tennessee and Maine, cannabis disguised as hemp-derived products has become commonplace, with head shops selling marijuana as THC delta-8, delta-10, or under the fictitious term "TH ...

Chinese organized crime has been growing at an alarming rate in the 7-Oh trade, expanding its operations across the U.S and posing significant challenges to law enforcement. With the use of sophisticated methods and ties to the Chinese government, these groups have become a force to reckon with.

Chinese Gangs Dominate Illicit Marijuana and Synthetic Drug Trade In US

Law enforcement sources reveal Chinese organized crime's involvement in the illicit marijuana and synthetic drug trade within the United States. The Chinese government's indirect involvement in such activities is brought to light through connections drawn between these criminal acts and government officials.

Groups Using Chinese Government Ties and Funds to Quickly Grow Operations

In Dexter, Maine, Chinese individuals from Flushing, New York, purchased property and converted it into a significant marijuana operation. Steve Robinson observes that these grow operations boast advanced infrastructure and a distinct lack of English-speaking personnel, who require translators contacted via a New York phone number. These indicators, along with the alienation from neighbors, point towards an organized effort, bankrolled and possibly coordinated with government entities from China.

These operations not only have extensive setups in rural areas but also in sensitive areas close to military bases, raising national security concerns. Steve Robinson's findings indicate that the operations might intertwine with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), using proceeds to fund illicit activities such as human trafficking and narcotics trafficking.

Fronts For Money Laundering: Benevolent Associations and Real Estate Companies

Real estate purchases appear to facilitate the expansion of these Chinese operations. Over 270 homes in Maine, now believed to surpass 500, are used for illegal grow activities. Robinson has witnessed these properties' transformation into large, industrial-style complexes with significant security measures along strategic corridors like I-95.

Funding for these endeavors raises suspicions of potentially government-linked financial assistance. A single company provided mortgages for multiple properties involved in the illegal trade. The Sijiu Association of New York, identified through paraphernalia found in a grow operation, is named a front organization for the Chinese consulate and the United Front, highlighting money laundering practices through seemingly benevolent associations.

Chinese criminal organizations' use of real estate and property purchases presents narratives that do not come to fruition, with the true intent likely masked to launder vast earnings from the drug trade. The indictment from Massachusetts outlines money-moving techniques employing lawyers and real estate companies, with major banks and law firms aiding in these illegal operations.

Chinese Drug Operations Near Sensitive Infrastructure, Military Bases Raise National Security Concerns

Chinese interests in purchasing farmland around U.S. military bases and the proximity of these illicit grows to vital infrastructure escalate the risk to national security. Conflicts between the U.S. and China are exacerbated by these operations. Moreover, the distribution of tainted products raises concern over potential impacts on public health and military readiness.

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The evolving landscape of synthetic opioids such as 7-OH presents significant challenges for law enforcement and regulators. Steve Robinson notes a cycle where drug users quickly move onto new substances, leaving authorities lagging behind in response.

Drug Laws Lag as New Synthetic Opioids Emerge

Drug laws and enforcement agencies struggle to keep up with the fast-paced development of novel substances like 7-OH. The continual emergence of new synthetic drugs outpaces the ability of the federal government to regulate them, as Robinson describes. When one molecule is made illegal, new ones are synthesized, restarting the regulatory chase.

Law Enforcement Lacks Resources and Expertise For Novel Substance Investigation

Law enforcement encounters difficulties in recognizing new substances found in raids, such as 7-OH, which is also challenging to test for in the bloodstream after death. Robinson highlights the lack of necessary resources and expertise in law enforcement to investigate novel substances, with most states yet to regulate 7-OH. He also notes that the complexity of testing for substances like 7-OH requires specificity that law enforcement agencies currently lack. Even if the law enforcement budget in places like Maine were doubled, they would still be inadequately prepared to handle the complex challenges associated with emerging drugs, including organized and street crime.

Moreover, Robinson indicates that many small-town police departments might not be aware of what 7-OH is, pointing to a broader lack of understanding among law enforcement.

Industry Groups Lobby Policymakers to Protect Product Legal Status

Lobbying efforts by industry groups such as the Hemp Roundtable are evident in the ongoing struggle to regulate substances like 7-OH. These groups form trade associations to ensure their interests are communicated to politicians, which often involves financial contributions to campaign committees. Robinson admits that although he initially resisted the explanation of politicking and bribery ...

The opioid epidemic has undergone several transformations, but investigators and health professionals alert the public to yet another dimension: the rise of new synthetic drugs like 7-OH.

Opioid and [restricted term] Crackdown Drives Users To Synthetics Like 7-Oh

Steve Robinson and Shawn Ryan shed light on the unintended consequences of opioid and [restricted term] crackdowns. As law enforcement intensifies efforts to control established drugs like [restricted term], users often seek alternatives, increasing the demand for synthetic opioids such as 7-OH. Robinson reveals that, despite the availability and low cost of [restricted term] in places like Maine where Dominican drug cartels maintain easy markets, a shift is taking place. Ryan compares this dynamic to the former crackdown on pill mills in Florida, which led users to heroin. Now, there's a similar concern: the successful shutdown affecting the [restricted term] supply may drive users towards alternatives like 7-OH.

Supply and Demand Shifts Fuel New Dangerous Substances

Sketchy substances, notably 7-OH, are now purchasable at locations as banal as gas stations and convenience stores, serving as evidence that users are finding alternatives to more traditional opioids. Robinson notes the emergence of a $9 billion market driven by these alternatives. With a previous opioid addict showing signs of relapse yet passing urinalysis by using 7-OH, which doesn't appear on standard opioid tests, it’s clear that market shifts are leading to the rise of dangerous new substances.

Robinson echoes this concern by illustrating how chemists modify molecules to skirt legal restrictions. As substances like bath salts become banned, new derivatives take their place, sometimes leading to compounds as perilous as "eighth generation bath salts."

Illicit Marijuana and Synthetic Drug Trade Attracts Organized Crime

Criminal Networks Exploit Regulatory Gaps Rapidly

The intersection of lawful and unlawful drug trades, particularly with synthetic substances and marijuana, has attracted organized crime. Robinson's investigation into the illicit Chinese marijuana trade revealed not only criminal involvement but also the use of dangerous chemicals in cultivation, unde ...