Trump Administration Delivers Lucrative Win for Its Kratom Allies

The Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday took steps to temporarily ban supplements containing a synthetic version of kratom, a plan that had been sought by makers of a rival product with strong ties to the Trump administration.

The agency said it plans to classify an addictive psychoactive compound called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, in the same category as heroin and LSD — drugs that are illegal to buy or sell.

The action is a victory for public health, since government scientists had warned that the substance “has a significant potential for abuse and associated harms.” But it is also a big win for makers of supplements containing the natural form of kratom, who had been losing market share to 7-OH rivals over the past few years.

Federal health officials have cautioned that natural kratom, which is derived from trees, carries similar risks, including addiction, overdose and liver damage. But the D.E.A.’s action leaves it untouched.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/us/kratom-trump-administration.html