The purpose of this document is to review the data related to the abuse potential and toxicity of Mitragyna speciosa (also known as kratom) and its primary alkaloids, mitragynine (MG) and 7-hydroxy-mitragynine (7-OH-MG), and the relevance of those data to the doses found in kratom.
We do not recommend scheduling of kratom or any of its specific alkaloids under the Controlled Substances Act. Kratom has a low potential for abuse and a low dependence liability and there is insufficient evidence of personal harm, adverse health effects or detriment to the public health to warrant control under the CSA.
Effectively banning the availability of kratom through scheduling could precipitate public health problems that do not presently exist or are at very low levels, because this would shift the market place from a largely lawful retail market to illicit manufacturers and distributors with no regulated labeling, purity or content standards, or effective ability to remove adulterated products from the market. Appropriate regulation of kratom under the FDCA is the most effective way to protect the public health by ensuring appropriate access and oversight and to sustain the overall very low adverse personal and public health effects associated with kratom consumption.
January 10, 2020
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