KRATOM ADVOCACY ALERT!

From Smart Approaches to Marijuana:

The DEA is moving to classify synthetic kratom, known as 7-OH, as a Schedule I drug. This opioid is being sold right now — in shots, tablets, gummies, and drinks — at gas stations, smoke shops, and online, often in candy-like packaging. While we support this move, it is incomplete: the DEA is not proposing the scheduling of mitragynine, the most commonly used compound in kratom. The Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions supports scheduling all components of kratom.

Companies pushing for 7-OH to stay on the market will comment against this rule. We need to show that there are more opponents to this drug than supporters.

Go to the hyperlinked website to submit your public comment!

The deadline for submitting comments is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 31, 2026. The comments do not need to be long, but should clearly express your position.

Points you can make (please put them in your own words)

• I support placing 7-OH in Schedule I. It is a dangerous opioid with no proven medical use, and it should not be sold like a supplement.

• Set the threshold for allowable 7-OH as low as possible. There is no established safe level of 7-OH; the proposed limits should be treated as a ceiling, not a target.

• Close the beverage loophole. 7-OH is sold in drinks and shots. A concentration limit lets a single beverage carry a large, dangerous dose — cap 7-OH by an absolute amount per container and per serving, not just by percentage.

• Account for conversion. Because mitragynine turns into 7-OH in the body and even on exposure to light and heat, products should be measured in the form they are actually consumed.

• Schedule natural mitragynine, too. It is an opioid with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, and it converts into 7-OH. Controlling only 7-OH will not fix the problem — HHS should recommend that mitragynine be placed in Schedule I as well.

• Tell your story. If this issue has touched your family, your community, or the young people you care about, say so briefly. Personal comments carry real weight.