7-OH Federal Scheduling: Facts, Deadlines, and How to Comment

Public Fact Sheet

7-OH Federal Scheduling: A Public Fact Sheet

What was proposed, what it covers, the deadlines that matter, and how any adult can submit a comment. Updated to reflect the notices published in the Federal Register on July 6, 2026.

Status at a glance

Current status Proposed. Not in effect. No order has been issued.
Public comment closes July 31, 2026 (docket HHS-OASH-2026-0232)
Earliest possible effective date Early August 2026 (no sooner than 30 days after July 6)
If enacted, duration Temporary Schedule I for up to two years, with a possible one year extension
Compounds covered Concentrated or synthetic 7-OH above a threshold; MP, MGM-15, and MGM-16 with no threshold
Not covered Natural leaf kratom below the threshold; mitragynine

The proposal in one paragraph

On July 1, 2026, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced its intent to temporarily place concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and three related synthetic compounds into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Health and Human Services and the FDA reviewed the science and recommended the action. At the same time, Health and Human Services opened a formal request for public comment on where the legal threshold for 7-OH should be set. Nothing is banned yet, and that comment window is the reason this fact sheet exists.

Key terms

7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine)
An alkaloid present in trace amounts in the kratom leaf. Many commercial products concentrate or synthesize it well above natural levels.
MP (mitragynine pseudoindoxyl)
A rearrangement product of 7-OH. Does not occur naturally in the plant. Proposed for scheduling with no threshold.
MGM-15 and MGM-16
Synthetic derivatives of 7-OH. Do not occur naturally. Proposed for scheduling with no threshold.
The threshold
The concentration line that decides whether 7-OH is covered. As proposed: more than 0.050 percent by dry weight, or, for synthetic or processed material, more than 0.050 percent by concentration or more than 1.00 milligram of 7-OH per article.
Request for Information (RFI)
The open docket where the public can submit data and comments on the proposed threshold, on regulations.gov.
Schedule I
The most restrictive federal drug category. Once an order takes effect, manufacture, distribution, sale, and possession of covered substances fall under federal controlled substance law.

What is covered, and what is not

Covered if the proposal is finalized as written:

  • Products with concentrated or synthetic 7-OH above the threshold (the one milligram per item prong reaches the large majority of tablets, shots, and edibles on the market)
  • Any product containing MP, MGM-15, or MGM-16, at any amount

Not covered:

  • Natural leaf kratom containing only naturally occurring, below threshold 7-OH
  • Mitragynine, the primary alkaloid in the leaf, which is not being scheduled

Timeline

  • July 1, 2026: DEA announces intent to schedule.
  • July 6, 2026: Notices published in the Federal Register. The clock starts.
  • July 31, 2026: Public comment window on the threshold closes.
  • Early August 2026 at the earliest: A temporary scheduling order may be issued. It cannot take effect until at least 30 days after the July 6 publication.
  • After the order takes effect: Covered substances are treated as Schedule I for up to two years while a permanent decision is weighed.

How to comment in three steps

  1. Open the docket. Go to regulations.gov docket HHS-OASH-2026-0232 and choose "Comment."
  2. Write in your own words. A short, specific, personal comment carries far more weight than a copied form letter. If you are comfortable, describe how you use these products and at what level, and explain why a workable, science based threshold matters. Comments become part of the public record.
  3. Submit before July 31, 2026. The portal stops accepting comments at the end of the last day.
Advocates are urging a science based threshold in the range of five to ten milligrams per serving, rather than the proposed one milligram, on the grounds that a threshold set too low functions as a prohibition.

Submit your comment

More ways to help

  • Contact Congress: find your representatives through Common Cause and ask them to urge HHS and the DEA to adopt a reasonable threshold.
  • Sign the petition: the national petition on Change.org has gathered tens of thousands of signatures.
  • Get organized: the 7-HOPE Alliance federal action hub offers talking points, printable materials, and scheduled calls.

Myth versus fact

  • Myth: 7-OH is already illegal nationwide. Fact: It is a proposal. No order has taken effect.
  • Myth: This bans kratom. Fact: Natural leaf kratom below the threshold, and mitragynine, are outside the action.
  • Myth: Commenting is pointless. Fact: In 2016 a similar effort drew more than one hundred thousand comments and was withdrawn.
  • Myth: The deadline is far away. Fact: The comment window closes July 31, 2026.

This fact sheet is provided for general educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Details reflect the federal notices published July 6, 2026 and may change as the rulemaking proceeds.