The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday filed its intent to temporarily place 7-hydroxymitagynine (7-OH)and three related substances as Schedule I drugs, the same category as heroin and LSD.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed that synthetic 7-OH and the related substances have no accepted medical use and are highly addictive, DEA said in a statement. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July recommended a scheduling action to control certain 7-OH products under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
A concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant, 7-OH is sold in vape stores, smoke shops, convenience stores and gas stations.
The DEA said the two notices of intent address 7-OH products above a certain concentration level and the three related substances: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16.
After a 30-day comment period and at least 30 days following publication, the attorney general can issue a temporary order placing these substances in Schedule I, HHS said.
Once this happens, manufacturing, distributing, selling, or possessing these products will be illegal and subject to criminal penalties, the DEA said.
The DEA said the United States has seen a “proliferation” of commercial products containing semi-synthetic 7-OH.
“Today’s action targets highly concentrated, synthetic 7-OH products, which pose a growing threat to public safety and health,” 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.”
The DEA said the temporary scheduling action does not apply to botanical kratom products that contain naturally occurring 7-OH below the specified threshold. Instead, it targets synthesized products and those containing elevated concentrations of 7-OH as outlined in the temporary scheduling order.
“I commend the DEA for taking decisive action to address these addictive and harmful substances,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
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