Three senators are calling on the Drug Enforcement Administration and FDA to pursue broader federal restrictions on kratom, including permanently scheduling the entire plant and its derivatives under the Controlled Substances Act.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Mike Lee, R-Utah; and Susan Collins, R-Maine, urged the agencies to regulate all levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, and other pharmacologically active alkaloids found in kratom, according to an Oct. 7 letter.
The senators also called on the DEA to finalize its emergency scheduling order for 7-OH. They noted that even after the order takes effect, products containing less than 0.05% 7-OH or less than 1 milligram will remain easily accessible. They urged the FDA to conduct scientific and medical evaluations to support permanent Schedule I recommendations for kratom and semi-synthetic compounds, including mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16.
The letter cited National Drug Early Warning System data showing 3,672 suspected nonfatal overdose encounters with emergency medical services involving 7-OH, mitragynine or kratom across 38 states from Jan. 1, 2023, to April 30, 2026. Of those encounters, 2,007 occurred in Southern states.
The senators also cited National Poison Data System figures showing 14,449 kratom exposure reports between 2015 and 2025. Reports reached 3,434 in 2025, an increase of approximately 1,200% compared with 2015.
The senators requested a written response from the agencies by Oct. 15.
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