DEA moves to ban three synthetic kratom compounds
The DEA will temporarily classify three synthetic kratom compounds as Schedule I drugs, citing abuse potential and public safety risks.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced on Tuesday that it will temporarily place three synthetic kratom-derived compounds under the most restrictive category of federal drug control, citing an immediate threat to public safety.
The substances — mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 — are described by the agency as potent opioid-like chemicals derived from or modified from components of the kratom plant, which is native to Southeast Asia and acts on the brain's opioid receptors.
The temporary scheduling order, set to appear in the Federal Register on August 26, will place the compounds under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act for two years. That classification is reserved for drugs deemed to have a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the U.S., and no established safety profile under medical supervision.
According to the DEA, these substances are sold in powder, tablet, and liquid-shot forms, and are available online as well as at gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops.
The agency pointed to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showing that calls to poison centers involving kratom exposure surged by more than 1,200% between 2015 and 2025.
This move follows a similar action in July, when the DEA temporarily placed 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), another kratom-derived compound, under Schedule I.
The DEA stated that the three newly targeted substances have pharmacological profiles similar to opioids, including 7-OH and morphine, and that available data indicate they carry a high potential for abuse and pose a risk to public health.