The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is preparing to place a potent kratom-derived compound called 7-OH in the same legal bracket as heroin, a move that marks one of the most consequential shifts yet in Washington's fight over the increasingly popular Southeast Asian plant and its extracts. According to a draft notice of intent scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Monday, the agency will temporarily classify 7-OH as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, the same category that already covers heroin.
A Two-Year Federal Ban
The proposed ban would not apply to kratom broadly. It targets products that cross a specific threshold level of 7-OH content, and it would remain in force for two years, with the option to extend it for a third year if regulators decide it is still necessary. Explaining the move, the DEA said 7-OH presents severe risks to public health, including tolerance, dependence and addiction. For the mainstream kratom industry, which has spent years distancing itself from concentrated 7-OH products, the announcement counts as a significant victory. That industry has been pushing hard against 7-OH, and it has found powerful allies inside government, including President Donald Trump.
Kratom Versus Its Concentrated Cousin
Kratom itself is a plant native to Southeast Asia that, in low doses, has long been used for its analgesic and antidepressant effects. Natural kratom leaf contains only trace amounts of 7-OH. But over the past several years, the market has been flooded with unregulated 7-OH products manufactured to be far more potent than anything found in the raw plant, fueling concern among lawmakers, doctors and kratom advocates alike. In May, Trump publicly endorsed what he called natural 7-OH, meaning kratom itself, and said his administration was looking into getting that approved.
Political Ties Run Deep
Both Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Department of Homeland Security secretary Markwayne Mullin have strong ties to the kratom industry. Kennedy has been photographed alongside JW Ross, a convicted criminal who founded Botanic Tonics, the company behind Feel Free, a line of kratom drinks that was raided by federal agents in 2023. At the time, the FDA, which took part in that raid, said there was inadequate information to determine whether kratom, marketed as a dietary supplement, presented a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury. Mullin, for his part, has invested up to $1 million in Botanic Tonics. Many Feel Free drinkers have since described suffering crippling withdrawal symptoms after using the product. In December, the Department of Justice dropped its case against Botanic Tonics, and a few months after that, an LLC connected to Feel Free donated $500,000 to the MAHA PAC. Asked for comment, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Mullin follows all ethics and conflict of interest standards and has not lobbied for any individual or company, adding that as a senator, Mullin fought alongside Secretary Kennedy to regulate 7-OH, which is a synthetic drug marketed to kids at convenience stores via deceptive packaging.
The Gas Station Heroin Problem
7-OH has picked up the nickname gas station heroin in some circles because it activates mu-opioid receptors in the brain, giving it addictive potential similar to opioid painkillers. It is not only 7-OH-labeled products that raise concern, either; even ordinary kratom products that make no 7-OH claims can trigger similar issues when consumed at higher doses.
Cheers From Kratom Lobbyists, Pushback From the 7-OH Trade
Lobbyists for traditional kratom are celebrating the proposed ban. This DEA action should end the debate, Mac Haddow, senior fellow on public policy for the American Kratom Association, said in a press release. Chemically manipulated 7-OH opioids are not kratom. They are dangerous products that exploited the reputation of natural kratom leaf, misled consumers, and created a public health threat that responsible regulators can no longer ignore. The 7-OH industry, unsurprisingly, sees things very differently, arguing there is no scientific basis for the ban, which would only take effect after a 30-day public comment period. Hundreds of thousands of consumers are eager to share how 7-OH has helped them manage pain, return to work, care for their families, and reclaim their life, Jeff Smith, executive director of the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust, a 7-OH advocacy group, said in an emailed statement.
One User's Stockpile
One 7-OH user, who asked not to be named out of concern for professional repercussions, said she has already stockpiled a formidable stash in anticipation of the ban taking effect. She said using 7-OH allowed her to stop taking other opioids entirely, including street drugs. I don't want to go back to that, she said, adding that she worries about what products people in situations like hers might turn to once 7-OH becomes illegal.
A Wider Crackdown on Synthetic Opioids
Separately this week, the DEA also announced action against 7-OH derivatives and other synthetic opioids, underscoring the whack-a-mole nature of trying to regulate a fast-shifting synthetic drug market.
