Veterans to Save 7-OH is a national coalition of military veterans and first responders standing up for safe access to 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products. Many of us have seen firsthand how 7-OH can support recovery, manage chronic pain, and reduce dependence on prescription opioids. We believe no veteran should lose access to a tool that can help them heal, focus, and live with dignity.

Our mission is simple: to protect the rights of veterans and all Americans to make informed choices about their wellness. We advocate for responsible regulation, not prohibition, and call on lawmakers to keep 7-OH legal, safe, and available for those who need it most.

Read our letter to RFK, Jr. and HHS:

The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

November 6, 2025

RE: Veterans Urge HHS to Protect Access to 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as a Critical Harm-Reduction Tool

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

We write to you as a coalition of United States military veterans from across the nation and, together, under the banner of Veterans to Save 7-OH, respectfully urge you and the Department of Health and Human Services to reject any move to prohibit or criminalize 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and instead pursue responsible regulation.” We are combat veterans, first responders, and others who have served our country and suffered from wounds both visible and invisible. For many of us, 7-OH has been life-changing. It has offered relief where years of prescription medications, surgeries, or therapy failed. It has quieted the pain that kept us from sleeping, helped calm nerves that think  we never left the battlefield, and provided a bridge away from dangerous opioids and alcohol. It has allowed us to be parents, partners, and contributing members of our communities again. Simply put, it has given us back our lives.

In an era where some 150 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses, we cannot afford to lose 7-OH, which is safely helping veterans recover, reconnect, and rebuild. Among veterans, that toll is even higher - we are twice as likely to die from overdose as civilians.”Banning 7-OH would not make veterans safer. On the contrary, it would make us more vulnerable. It would drive some of us back to dangerous drugs just to manage pain or PTSD. We’ve buried enough brothers and sisters to know how that story ends. Regulation, not prohibition, is the responsible path forward: age restrictions, quality controls, transparent labeling, and continued research into dosage and long-term use. We urge you to stop pushing us back toward danger and instead stand with us by preserving access,supporting continued scientific study, and committing to responsible regulation of 7-OH.

We stand ready to share our stories and work with your team to ensure veterans aren’t forced back into harm’s way. Protect 7-OH. Regulate it responsibly. Lives depend on it.

We welcome the opportunity to meet with HHS staff, provide firsthand accounts, and participate in any ongoing discussions about balanced policy for 7-OH. We are proof that it saves lives.

With deepest respect,

Veterans to Save 7-OH

John Blanchard – Sheridan, AR

Michael Burnell, Jr. – Westcliffe, CO

Koby Cleveland - Mobile, AL

Kyle Jackson – Hillsboro, GA

Jeremy Jones - State College, PA

Eric Linkenhoker – Hardy, KY

Cavan McIntyre – Harrisburg, PA

Mallory Sereny - Midlothian, VA

Kendall Tipper – Jacksonville, FL

We are building a community of veterans who have experienced the positive benefits of 7-OH and want to fight back against a potential national ban and YOU CAN GET INVOLVED! 

Together we will ask those who have served to:

• sign their name to letters to the elected officials

• speak with the media about their stories (of course we will help)

• provide their stories in writing