HHS recommended new limits Oct. 9 to determine which kratom products fall under federal opioid controls. The goal is to separate the natural plant from products artificially boosted with potent opioid compounds, including 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI).
In response, the Drug Enforcement Administration is issuing two new notices of intent, the Justice Department said Oct. 9. The notice covering 7-OH and MGPI adopts HHS’ proposed limits. A reissued notice for two other related substances, MGM-15 and MGM-16, keeps the scheduling approach already in place for them.
HHS recommended Schedule I control for products in which 7-OH, MGPI or the two together exceed 1 milligram per gram in solids or 1 milligram per milliliter in liquids. A product would also be covered if it contains less than 100 times as much mitragynine, kratom’s dominant alkaloid, as 7-OH, MGPI or both combined.
FDA reviewed the preclinical research and found 7-OH to be roughly two to nine times as potent as morphine, with results varying by study. The review also found evidence that MGPI carries a meaningful risk of opioid-like dependence and withdrawal.
According to HHS, botanical kratom naturally contains small or trace amounts of 7-OH. Some evidence indicates that certain kratom products may also contain trace quantities of MGPI. The new limits are meant to separate those products from ones that have been deliberately altered to raise their opioid content.
On Aug. 26, 2026, the DEA temporarily placed MGPI, MGM-15 and MGM-16 in Schedule I. That scheduling stays in force through the new 30-day notice period and until the DEA issues another temporary order. No temporary scheduling order has been issued yet for 7-OH.
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