Grassley, Lee, Collins Call on Trump Administration to Issue Emergency Scheduling Order for 7-OH, Initiate Permanent Scheduling Proceedings for Kratom

BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA - U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and U.S. Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take immediate action to protect Americans from deadly kratom and related semi-synthetic substances.

Specifically, the senators are requesting the Trump administration:

• Immediately issue the emergency scheduling order for 7-hydroxy mitragynine (7-OH).
• Permanently place all harmful substances found in kratom, including 7-OH, MGM-15, MGM-16 and mitragynine psyeudoindoxyl, into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, meaning they have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
• Develop a permanent scheduling recommendation for the full kratom plant and its derivatives.

"We frequently hear from constituents and concerned parents who have lost loved ones, and recovering users who warn us constantly about the addictive nature of kratom and its analogues. We worry the availability of these products is providing consumers with a false sense of security because they are readily available and marketed as natural," the lawmakers wrote. "It is imperative that the final emergency scheduling order for 7-OH be expeditiously promulgated."

"We urge DEA, in consultation with FDA, to initiate proceedings to permanently schedule all harmful substances found in kratom, including 7-OH, MGM-15, MGM-16, and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. Furthermore, we urge the Food and Drug Administration to conduct the necessary scientific and medical evaluations of these substances and provide a permanent scheduling recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Administration for the full kratom plant, its derivatives, and all levels of the semi-synthetic analogues like mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 that are being marketed as natural products," the lawmakers concluded.

Read the full letter HERE.

Background:

Kratom is an unregulated substance - sold across the country as an over-the-counter energy booster, mood lifter or pain reliever - that is known to be approximately 14 times more potent than morphine when given orally. Kratom-derived concentrates and semi-synthetic analogues, including 7-OH, have been identified by the DEA as more potent than schedule II opioids. The FDA warns Americans not to consume kratom due to severe health effects, including liver toxicity, seizures and substance abuse disorder.

According to the National Drug Early Warning System and National Poison Data System, suspected nonfatal overdose encounters involving 7-OH, mitragynine or kratom were recorded across 38 states from 2023 to 2026. Further, between 2015 and 2025, poison control centers received 14,449 kratom exposure reports, with a 1,200% increase in exposure reports over the last 10 years. Kratom-related exposures in Iowa have increased approximately 120% from 2023 to 2025.

-30-

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Post