The US Drug Enforcement Administration is preparing to temporarily classify 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a potent compound derived from kratom, as a Schedule I controlled substance from 5 August at the earliest, placing it alongside heroin. The move has alarmed regular users, some of whom rely on the unregulated substance to manage chronic pain, and reports suggest people are stockpiling supplies or attempting Reddit-guided detoxes ahead of the ban. The decision highlights tensions between the mainstream kratom industry, which argues 7-OH is a distinct and more dangerous product, and 7-OH users and sellers who say it should not be separated from kratom and provides genuine relief.

The temporary ban would last two years, with a possible one-year extension, while the DEA works towards permanent scheduling; roughly a dozen US states have already banned the substance. The DEA cites 7-OH's opioid-agonist properties and "significant public health risk" as justification, while officials including Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, both reportedly linked to the kratom industry, have publicly criticised 7-OH products. Users interviewed described dependency, escalating costs, and severe withdrawal, while others, such as a New York man managing injuries from a serious motorcycle accident, say the compound has been more effective than prescribed opioids and fear losing access to it.