DEA moves to ban opioid-like kratom compound 7-OH
Key takeaways
- The ban would apply to all products with .05 percent of 7-OH dry weight, or those with more than 1 milligram of 7-OH.
- DEA also temporarily scheduled three 7-OH-related substances — MP, MGM-15, and MGM-16 — that are found online in products including candies, tablets and liquid shots.
- MP is a chemical rearrangement product of 7-OH, while MGM-15 and MGM-16 are synthetic derivatives of 7-OH.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
The agency on Wednesday said it plans to classify a psychoactive compound called 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and three related substances as Schedule I, meaning they have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
The ban would apply to all products with .05 percent of 7-OH dry weight, or those with more than 1 milligram of 7-OH. It would be applicable for two years, with the potential to extend it for a third.
DEA also temporarily scheduled three 7-OH-related substances — MP, MGM-15, and MGM-16 — that are found online in products including candies, tablets and liquid shots. DEA said they are often marketed as kratom extracts despite containing synthetic opioid compounds.