The DEA has proposed temporarily placing four kratom-derived opioids—7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16—in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. While this does not go as far as we would like, it is a critical step forward, and we strongly support this action.
The DEA has opened a docket for public comment.
Supporters of these products are well organized and have already submitted thousands of comments urging the DEA not to move forward. It is essential that the agency also hear from individuals who believe these opioid-active substances pose a serious threat to public health.
You can make a difference. Thoughtful, respectful comments from you and others demonstrate that many Americans support stronger safeguards for these compounds.
Comments must be submitted by July 31. Please don’t wait.
Please submit your comment at https://www.regulations.gov/document/HHS-OASH-2026-0232-0001. We have provided two sample letters below that you are welcome to personalize before submitting.
Thank you for standing with FED UP! and for helping protect families and communities from another generation of addictive opioid products.
Dan Busch
Daniel Busch, M.D., M.P.H.
Chair, FED UP! Coalition
feduprally.org
Sample letter #1: For those who have been personally affected by the opioid epidemic
I strongly support the DEA’s temporary placement of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
My family knows firsthand the devastation that opioids can cause. We lost a loved one to opioid addiction and overdose. We were among the many families who were told that opioid medications could be used safely, only to discover too late how addictive and dangerous they could be.
That experience has made me deeply concerned by the rapid growth of products containing 7-OH and related compounds. These products are being sold in convenience stores, smoke shops, and online even though they have strong opioid effects and pose serious risks of abuse, addiction, and overdose.
I recognize that some people believe these products have helped them. I respect their experiences. But personal testimonials cannot substitute for the careful scientific and regulatory review that the Controlled Substances Act requires for substances with significant abuse potential. If these compounds are ultimately shown to have accepted medical uses, they should be evaluated through the FDA approval process and prescribed under appropriate medical supervision—not sold as unregulated consumer products.
Our country has paid an enormous price for underestimating the risks of opioids. I hope we have learned that it is far better to act before another public health crisis develops than after thousands more families have suffered.
Thank you for taking this important step to protect the American public. I urge you to finalize this scheduling action.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]
Sample Letter #2. For those who have NOT been personally affected by the opioid epidemic
I am writing to express my strong support for the DEA’s temporary placement of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
I have watched the opioid epidemic devastate communities across our country. It has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, strained our healthcare system, and left countless families grieving.
That is why I believe we should take a cautious approach when new opioids enter the marketplace. Products that act on opioid receptors should certainly not be sold as ordinary consumer products.
I understand that some individuals believe 7-OH has helped relieve their pain. Those experiences deserve to be studied. But they do not change the need to regulate potent opioid-active compounds through the safeguards established by federal law. If these substances prove to be safe and effective, they should be approved and prescribed as medicines—not marketed without the protections that patients and consumers deserve.
I appreciate the DEA’s efforts to prevent history from repeating itself. Please finalize this temporary scheduling action and continue protecting the public from emerging opioid threats.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]