Arizona Tribune - Global Kratom Coalition Applauds DEA for Finalizing Temporary Scheduling Order Targeting First Wave of Novel Synthetic Alkaloid Products

WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / August 25, 2026 / The Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) today applauded the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for finalizing its temporary order placing synthetic derivatives mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The order will be published in the Federal Register on Aug. 26, 2026 and will take effect immediately and remains in place through Aug. 26, 2028.

The order finalizes the notice of intent DEA published on July 6, 2026. It is narrowly targeted: It applies only to mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 three synthetic compounds that do not occur in the kratom plant. The order does not schedule natural kratom leaf that has not undergone any post-harvest chemical manipulation. DEA's July 2026 notice also announced its intent to schedule concentrated synthetic 7-OH as part of this same effort; that action is still moving through the regulatory process and has not yet been finalized. GKC expects DEA to finalize that order after the final comment period that ends on September 10th 2026, which will put a stop to this rash of highly concentrated synthetic products that have proliferated across the U.S. over the past 3 years.

This Is Not a Kratom Ban

Importantly, this is not a ban on unaltered natural kratom leaf itself. DEA's order names three specific substances by chemical structure it does not name, and does not apply to, unaltered natural kratom leaf, kratom powders, capsules, teas, or other kratom leaf products that have not undergone additional processing that affects the chemical structure of the plant material. DEA's own order draws this same line, describing traditional kratom use as "chewing raw leaves or steeping the leaves into water decoctions and teas" a world apart from the flavored chewable tablets and "precision-formulated" products the order is designed to stop.

GKC encourages state and local policymakers nationwide to follow DEA's lead by clearly distinguishing between natural kratom leaf and concentrated or synthetic kratom-derived compounds.

"DEA is demonstrating bold, science-driven leadership by taking aim at these rogue synthetic opioid products," said Matthew Lowe, GKC's Executive Director. "Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and DEA Administrator Terrance Cole deserve credit for finalizing a rule that will bring an end to these dangerous products. This is a win for public health."

Media Resources

GKC has prepared the following resources to help clarify the differences between natural kratom leaf and concentrated synthetic opioid products:

• Novel Synthetic Alkaloid Database

• One-Page Fact Sheet

• Product Images

• B-Roll Footage

To learn more about the Global Kratom Coalition and its mission, navigate to www.globalkratomcoalition.org.

About the Global Kratom Coalition

The Global Kratom Coalition is an alliance of natural kratom consumers, experts, and industry leaders dedicated to protecting access to natural kratom leaf while advancing scientific research, driving consumer education, and developing robust regulations to protect consumers. For more information, visit globalkratomcoalition.org.

Media Contact Information

Global Kratom Coalition
[email protected]

SOURCE: Global Kratom Coalition

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

N.Walker--AT