DEA Schedule I Kratom Update: MGM-15, MGM-16 & MGPI Now Controlled
Published: August 31, 2026
A new federal controlled-substance change is now in effect involving three compounds that have appeared in or around the modern kratom-derived product market. This is different from a proposed rule or a lawsuit: DEA has issued a temporary Schedule I order that took effect August 26, 2026.
Because these products can be marketed with kratom-related or botanical language, we want Black Lotus customers to understand exactly what changed — and what did not.
What Changed on August 26, 2026
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration temporarily placed three 7-hydroxymitragynine-related substances into Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act:
Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, commonly called MGPI or MP
MGM-15, also known as dihydro-7-hydroxymitragynine
MGM-16, a fluorinated dihydro-7-hydroxymitragynine compound
The temporary federal order applies the controls and sanctions associated with Schedule I substances to the manufacture, distribution, import, export, research and possession of these compounds. The order is effective through August 26, 2028 unless DEA extends it or replaces it through further scheduling action.
This Is Not a Ban on Traditional Botanical Kratom
The Justice Department specifically says this emergency action is directed at deliberately manufactured and concentrated opioid products, not traditional botanical kratom as a category.
DOJ also acknowledged unresolved analytical questions about whether incidental trace amounts of MGPI can sometimes be reported in otherwise botanical kratom products because of processing, storage or testing conditions. DOJ says it will exercise enforcement discretion when only incidental trace MGPI is confirmed in a product otherwise consistent with botanical kratom.
That enforcement discretion is not a legal exemption and does not remove MGPI from Schedule I. It also does not apply to MGM-15, MGM-16, or products containing manufactured, concentrated, fortified or intentionally added MGPI.
What About 7-OH Itself?
A separate federal action involving 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly called 7-OH, is still pending. HHS has been seeking public input on a proposed threshold above which 7-OH would be considered for Schedule I control. The public comment period has been extended through September 10, 2026.
That means the new August 26 Schedule I order for MGPI, MGM-15 and MGM-16 should not be confused with the separate proposed 7-OH threshold. As of this update, that separate threshold proposal has not become the same kind of operative temporary scheduling order.
That does not mean concentrated 7-OH products are automatically lawful. Other federal laws and existing Texas restrictions still apply.
Texas Already Has Separate Kratom Restrictions
Texas law already prohibits a kratom processor or retailer from preparing, distributing, selling or offering a kratom product that contains more than 2% 7-hydroxymitragynine in the alkaloid fraction. Texas also prohibits kratom products containing synthetic alkaloids, including synthetic 7-OH and synthetically derived compounds from a kratom plant.
The new DEA action adds a federal controlled-substance layer for MGPI, MGM-15 and MGM-16 on top of those existing Texas requirements.
What This Means for Black Lotus Customers
For Black Lotus, the practical takeaway is straightforward: MGPI, MGM-15 and MGM-16 are now federally controlled Schedule I substances, and we will treat products containing those compounds accordingly.
We are not treating this federal action as a blanket ban on traditional botanical kratom. At the same time, a product being labeled “kratom,” “botanical,” or “plant-derived” does not by itself establish that it complies with Texas or federal law. Ingredients, formulation and laboratory documentation matter.
We will continue reviewing kratom-related products conservatively as federal and Texas rules develop. If the separate 7-OH scheduling process results in a final or operative order that materially changes the retail landscape, we will update customers after reviewing the actual government action.
Primary Sources
Black Lotus — Rockwall, Texas
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Laws, agency policies and court decisions can change, and product-specific facts may affect how a rule applies.
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