The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced its intent to temporarily place 7-hydroxymitagynine (7-OH) and three related substances into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to protect public safety. This action follows confirmation from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that these synthetic substances lack accepted medical use and possess a high potential for abuse.
Two Notices of Intent were sent to the Federal Register on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, addressing 7-OH above a specified threshold and related substances: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16. Once temporary scheduling orders take effect, the manufacture, distribution, sale, and possession of these covered substances will be subject to criminal, civil, and administrative provisions of the CSA.
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said, "Today’s action targets highly concentrated, synthetic 7-OH products, which pose a growing threat to public safety and health." He added that this move "underscores the emphasis this Administration has put on the safety, health and well-being of the American people." HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. commended the DEA, stating, "7-OH, MP, MGM-15, and MGM-16 are dangerous opioids that fuel addiction and put American lives at risk."
7-OH is a psychoactive substance with opioid-like effects. The temporary scheduling specifically targets synthesized products and those with elevated concentrations of 7-OH, not botanical kratom products containing naturally occurring 7-OH below the specified threshold. The DEA noted a proliferation of commercial products containing semi-synthetic 7-OH, often sold online and in various retail outlets, with laboratory findings indicating higher amounts than natural kratom. This initiative is part of a broader effort to combat the opioid epidemic.