AKA Washington Update: Federal Developments and October Briefing

The American Kratom Association’s October 16 newsletter brings together a busy week in Washington: an anniversary gathering, a congressional briefing, and a federal announcement concerning 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and related compounds. Here are the highlights and the original sources.

Federal announcement: read the details

DOJ’s October 9 announcement describes new DEA notices of intent using HHS-recommended concentration and ratio thresholds for 7-OH and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI). DOJ says the approach aims to distinguish trace constituents from deliberately enhanced or concentrated formulations. At that announcement, MGPI, MGM-15 and MGM-16 remained under temporary Schedule I controls; a temporary scheduling order for 7-OH had not yet been issued.

Read DOJ’s announcement. The AKA welcomed the distinction in its October 9 statement.

Two Washington events to catch up on

According to the AKA newsletter, advocates gathered on October 13 to mark ten years since the withdrawal of the DEA’s 2016 scheduling proposal. On October 14, the AKA held a congressional briefing addressing botanical kratom and synthetic or chemically manipulated products.

• Watch the anniversary event linked by AKA
• Watch the congressional briefing linked by AKA

The AKA particularly highlighted the consumer testimonials. Those accounts reflect the speakers’ experiences; they do not establish medical benefits or product safety.

Keep the source and date in view

This roundup reports the dated announcement and AKA’s advocacy update. It does not establish the current legal status of any particular product or change state or local requirements. For product documentation, visit our lab reports page.