WASHINGTON — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration filed notice of its intent to temporarily place 7-hydroxymitragynine, known as 7-OH, and three related substances into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, citing a growing public safety threat from highly concentrated synthetic products.
The action follows a determination by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that synthetic 7-OH and the three related substances have no accepted medical use and carry a high potential for abuse.
The DEA sent two Notices of Intent to the Federal Register on Wednesday. One addresses 7-OH above a specified threshold. The other targets three related substances for Schedule 1: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16.
Once the temporary scheduling orders take effect, the manufacture, distribution, sale and possession of covered 7-OH substances will be subject to the criminal, civil and administrative provisions of the Controlled Substances Act.
“Today’s action targets highly concentrated, synthetic 7-OH products, which pose a growing threat to public safety and health. Temporarily scheduling these substances underscores the emphasis this Administration has put on the safety, health and well-being of the American people,” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said. “This action gives law enforcement and public health partners the tools needed to address this emerging threat. We appreciate the FDA’s scientific expertise and our continued partnership with HHS to address emerging threats, and we will continue to act aggressively when dangerous substances threaten Americans.”
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said his agency reviewed the science behind the substances and recommended the scheduling action.
“I commend the DEA for taking decisive action to address these addictive and harmful substances,” Kennedy said. “7-OH, MP, MGM-15, and MGM-16 are dangerous opioids that fuel addiction and put American lives at risk. HHS reviewed the science and recommended this action. The Trump Administration will continue using every available authority to stop these deceptive products, hold bad actors accountable, and protect American families.”
7-OH is a psychoactive substance with opioid-like effects and similar risks. In its botanical form, it occurs in trace amounts in Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia that has long been used there in religious and communal ceremonies.
The temporary scheduling action does not apply to botanical kratom products containing naturally occurring 7-OH below the specified threshold. It instead targets synthesized products and those with elevated concentrations of 7-OH, which the DEA says pose an imminent threat to public safety because of their highly unpredictable effects.
The DEA said the United States has seen a proliferation of commercial products containing semi-synthetic 7-OH, widely marketed online and sold in gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops in forms including powders, tablets, capsules, gummies and dissolvable strips. DEA laboratory testing found these commercial products often contain higher concentrations of 7-OH than what occurs naturally in botanical kratom.
