AKA Briefs Congress on FDA's 7-OH Scheduling Recommendation and Proposed Federal Kratom Framework

Why it matters

Nearly a year after the FDA recommended scheduling synthetic 7-OH, no federal legislation or coherent policy framework has followed — leaving state legislatures to fill the vacuum with inconsistent, sometimes conflicting regulations affecting the estimated 20 million Americans who use kratom.

The big picture

The FDA's July 2025 recommendation that the DEA schedule synthetic 7-OH drew a regulatory line between concentrated synthetic extracts and natural kratom leaf products, but federal action has stalled. Meanwhile, states have enacted a patchwork of laws: some banning only 7-OH, others banning all kratom, and still others pursuing age-restriction models. The American Kratom Association argues that the proposed Federal Kratom Consumer Protection Act would close regulatory gaps and create consistent national standards.

Key findings

• The AKA hosted a Congressional Briefing on June 3, 2026, at the Capitol Visitor Center
• FDA distinguished synthetic 7-OH from natural kratom plant in July 2025, but no federal framework has followed
• An estimated 20 million Americans use kratom, yet no federal manufacturing or sales standards exist
• Scientists and policy experts briefed lawmakers on the distinction between natural kratom and concentrated synthetic 7-OH
• The briefing focused on the proposed Federal Kratom Consumer Protection Act and its role in complementing FDA and DEA regulatory activity

What they say

"Nearly a year after the FDA recommended in July 2025 that the DEA schedule synthetic 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) — drawing a clear line between concentrated synthetics and natural kratom plant products — there is still no federal legislation, guidance, or coherent policy to back it up, leaving state legislators confused and pursuing conflicting directives," according to the American Kratom Association briefing announcement.

Bottom line

With 20 million kratom users and a fragmented state-by-state regulatory landscape, congressional action on the Federal Kratom Consumer Protection Act may be the only path to coherent national policy.