Kratom News & Updates: DEA Schedules 7-OH
1. Tennessee’s full kratom ban just took effect July 1
This is probably the biggest national headline going into the holiday weekend. Tennessee’s Matthew Davenport’s Law is now enacted as Public Chapter 950, creating criminal offenses and testing requirements tied to kratom. Third-party summaries report that possession is treated as a misdemeanor and sale/manufacture/delivery as a felony, making Tennessee one of the newest full-ban states.
Why it matters: this shifts the national conversation from “regulate kratom” to “ban vs. regulate,” especially in Southern states.
2. Virginia chose regulation, not a full ban, but cracked down on 7-OH
Virginia’s new law also takes effect around this July 1 window. It regulates kratom sales and targets products with 7-hydroxymitragynine / 7-OH, including a prohibition on products providing more than 1 mg of 7-OH per serving.
Why it matters: Virginia is a good example of the policy lane ETHA has been advocating for: consumer protection, testing, labeling, age limits, and separation of natural leaf from high-7-OH products.
3. New York is moving hard against “synthetic kratom” / 7-OH
New York lawmakers passed legislation in June aimed at banning synthetic kratom products, commonly described in media as 7-OH or “gas station heroin.” Earlier, Gov. Hochul signed laws setting a 21+ age limit and warning-label requirements for kratom products; the newer synthetic-kratom bill has been moving separately.
Why it matters: New York is separating traditional kratom regulation from the 7-OH controversy, but media coverage often blurs the line. That makes education especially important.
4. Suffolk County, Long Island may vote July 14 on a local kratom/7-OH ban
Suffolk County is considering local restrictions on certain kratom products, with a reported final vote expected July 14. The proposal reportedly targets synthetic-style products such as pills, capsules, and liquid vials while exempting natural kratom leaves.
Why it matters: local governments are not waiting for state or federal clarity. This could become a pattern: cities and counties acting first, especially around gas-station-style products.
5. California remains messy: state crackdown, but products still on shelves
California has been enforcing against kratom-derived products through food-safety rules rather than a straightforward legislative ban. Gov. Newsom’s office said in March that businesses had reached 95% compliance and that 3,308 illicit products had been removed from shelves, but recent reporting says products are still widely available in parts of the Bay Area.
Why it matters: California is a national example of regulatory confusion. It is not the clean “KCPA-style” model; it is enforcement through interpretation, which creates uncertainty for consumers and responsible brands.
NEW & NEWSWORTHY!!!
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced its intent to temporarily schedule high-potency 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and its follow-on products under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
This is a significant development, and it confirms what the American Kratom Association has warned policymakers for years: chemically manipulated 7-OH opioid products are not natural kratom leaf. They are high-potency opioid products that have been falsely marketed as "kratom" while exposing consumers to serious risks.
What you need to know:
- The DEA notice targets 7-OH above a specified threshold, along with related forms and follow-on products such as MP, MGM-15, and MGM-16. These do not occur naturally in the kratom plant.
- Natural kratom leaf is not the target. Products containing only the trace levels of 7-OH found in natural leaf are not what this action is designed to capture.
- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. commended the action, calling 7-OH, MP, MGM-15, and MGM-16 dangerous opioids that fuel addiction, and confirming that HHS reviewed the science and recommended the scheduling.
Our message to policymakers remains simple: Do not ban kratom because of 7-OH. Ban 7-OH because it is not kratom. Natural kratom leaf should be responsibly regulated; chemically manipulated 7-OH opioids should be banned.
Read the full press release here
