DEA Emergency-Schedules Three Kratom-Derived Compounds, Citing Risk to Children

Why it matters

Schedule I status blocks the federal research that could otherwise clarify these compounds' medical risks and benefits, a tradeoff researchers say could slow rather than speed understanding of kratom-related harm.

The big picture

The action reverses roughly a decade of federal hesitation dating to a 2016 attempt to schedule mitragynine and 7-OH that was later withdrawn after public pushback. It follows the FDA's July 2025 recommendation and mirrors state-level actions already taken in Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and California.

Key findings

• DOJ/DEA classified mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI), MGM-15, and MGM-16 as Schedule I substances on a two-year emergency basis, effective Aug. 25, 2026
• MGPI is a high-potency, chemically rearranged derivative of 7-OH already sold in powders, chewable tablets, and liquid shots
• MGM-16 has not been confirmed present in the consumer market, but agencies acted preemptively over concerns it could substitute for banned substances
• One addiction physician reported patient cases involving these products rising from about one per week to roughly 10 per week over the past year
• Natural kratom leaf typically contains 7-OH at only 1% to 2% of total alkaloid content
• Natural kratom is now regulated in at least 22 states and banned outright in eight, including Alabama, Connecticut, Ohio, and Vermont

What they say

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the "Justice Department is acting before these dangerous compounds become a broader threat," adding the substances are "being manufactured and sold in consumer products, often under labels that obscure their true risks."

Bottom line

**Emergency Schedule I status for these three kratom-derived compounds takes effect immediately but also cuts off the federal research needed to settle open questions about their risk profile.**