Regulators Take Aim At 'Gas Station Opioids': What The FDA Crackdown On Kratom Extracts Means For Consumers

Colorful tablets, gummies and shots sold next to the energy drinks at gas stations and smoke shops may soon be illegal. On Oct. 14, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced plans to place concentrated kratom extract products in Schedule I, the most restricted category of federally controlled drugs.

The order targets 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and a related compound called mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI). The Hill reports that these products have earned the nickname “gas station opioids” because they act on the same brain receptors as morphine. Plain kratom leaf is not part of the order. Still, if you or someone you love uses these products, it helps to know the risks. Below, medical experts explain how they work, their side effects and safer options.

How kratom extract works

Kratom comes from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Its main compounds, mitragynine and 7-OH, both act on mu-opioid receptors in the brain, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Many users say small amounts of kratom feel energizing, while larger amounts feel relaxing or sedating. However, research has not confirmed that dose alone determines which effects someone feels.

Why 7-OH products are different

In the natural leaf, 7-OH makes up less than 2% of the total alkaloid content, the DEA says. In contrast, extract products can contain far higher amounts. In fact, an FDA review found that 7-OH is roughly two to nine times more potent than morphine in preclinical studies, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Cooper Stone, DO, is a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He treats patients on an inpatient substance use unit and said the branding can be misleading. “While 7-OH may be marketed as a natural supplement, there’s very little that’s actually natural about it,” he told Blavity Health.

Mohit Chhatpar, DO, DABOM, a board-certified family medicine physician with fellowship training in addiction medicine, agreed. “Trace amounts of 7-OH naturally occur in kratom, but products with added or enhanced 7-OH are a different exposure. Their opioid activity can bring dependence and serious toxicity,” he shared with Blavity Health.

Is kratom considered a controlled substance?

Not yet, at least not at the federal level. Kratom leaf and its compounds are not on the federal schedule, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. However, the DEA lists kratom as a “drug of concern.”

That is about to change for concentrated products. Under the new plan, 7-OH and MGPI will fall under Schedule I when a product crosses either of two lines:

• It contains more than 1 milligram per gram (for solids) or 1 milligram per milliliter (for liquids).
• Its ratio of mitragynine to 7-OH or MGPI is below 100 to 1, a sign the product was enhanced.

The temporary order will be published on or after Nov. 13, 2026. Once it takes effect, it lasts two years, with a possible one-year extension while the DEA pursues permanent scheduling.

“We are drawing a clear line between natural kratom and dangerous, enhanced opioid products,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. Even so, the DEA stressed that products below the threshold should not be considered safe. States are also acting. According to the DEA notice, 10 states already prohibit 7-OH, including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana and Tennessee.

Common side effects

Kratom extract products can cause side effects even at doses people consider normal. According to NIDA, mild effects reported by some users include nausea, constipation, dizziness and drowsiness.

Like prescription opioids, kratom compounds can slow the digestive tract. As a result, stomach upset, vomiting and constipation are common complaints. In fact, nausea and vomiting top the list of symptoms reported to poison centers after 7-OH use, according to America’s Poison Centers.

Higher amounts can make people sleepy, foggy or lightheaded. That matters if you drive, work with machinery or care for children. Combining kratom with alcohol, benzodiazepines or other sedating drugs makes these effects stronger.

Dependence and withdrawal

Regular use can lead to physical dependence. Then, when someone cuts back, withdrawal can set in. Stone said symptoms can include sweating, diarrhea, goosebumps, a runny nose, yawning, stomach cramps, muscle and joint aches, anxiety, restlessness and irritability.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also received reports of withdrawal from 7-OH products, along with addiction, anxiety, depression and insomnia.

Rare or serious side effects

Serious reactions to kratom extract products are less common, but they are rising. Poison centers logged 901 reports involving 7-OH in just the first half of 2026, compared with 593 in all of 2025. Among people exposed to 7-OH alone, 38.8% had serious health problems and 20.5% were hospitalized.

Many kratom extract products come in bright, candy-like packaging and flavors. Therefore, Stone said, “Children would be at most risk if they were to inadvertently mistake this product for candy.” Keep any kratom product locked up and out of reach.

Overdose and slowed breathing

Because 7-OH acts like an opioid, too much can slow or stop breathing. “Individuals who have overdosed on Kratom will have symptoms similar to those of overdosing on other opioids,” Stone said. Those signs include extreme sleepiness, loss of consciousness, pinpoint pupils, slow or shallow breathing and bluish skin.

The DEA’s toxicology program has identified 7-OH in 85 overdose cases since 2019, and 55 of them were fatal. Many of those cases also involved other drugs, such as fentanyl or benzodiazepines. That overlap is one reason community groups have stepped up overdose prevention outreach.

Seizures, high blood pressure and liver problems have also been reported, according to NIDA. Meanwhile, poison centers have documented agitation, confusion, rapid heart rate and trouble breathing after 7-OH use.

What to do if you notice symptoms

How you respond depends on how serious the symptoms are.

“Inability to wake someone or slow, abnormal breathing is an emergency. Call 911, give naloxone if available and follow the dispatcher’s instructions,” Chhatpar said. “Naloxone can reverse the opioid component of a 7-OH overdose, but it is not a substitute for emergency evaluation.”

Naloxone can also wear off before the drug does. So, Stone said, be “prepared to administer additional doses of naloxone as this reversal agent rapidly leaves the body.”

“For a suspected exposure without those emergency signs, Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 can advise what to do next,” Chhatpar said. The line is free, and experts answer around the clock.

If you want to cut back or quit

Bonnie King, PhD, LPC-S, a licensed professional counselor and counselor educator at Antioch University, said people usually turn to these products for a reason. “Most people who reach for these products are trying to solve a real problem: pain, anxiety, poor sleep, low energy or the misery of opioid withdrawal,” she told Blavity Health.

According to King, signs that use has turned into dependence include:

• Needing more to get the same effect.
• Feeling sick, restless or irritable when a dose is late.
• Using to feel “normal” rather than better.
• Planning the day around getting more.
• Trying to cut back and not being able to.

Don’t quit cold turkey on your own. Instead, start with a clinician. “Bring the product name, packaging and a clear account of frequency and amount used to a clinician,” Chhatpar advised. Stone noted that treatment may include medications such as buprenorphine (Suboxone) or methadone, “but the choice of agent really depends on a multitude of factors.”

Counseling helps, too. “Approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing help people understand what the substance has been doing for them and build other ways to cope,” King said.

Talking to a loved one

King suggests choosing a calm, private moment and leading with care. For example, ask what the kratom helps with before you bring up stopping. “Shame tends to push people further away, so keep the door open,” she said. Chhatpar agreed: “Needing help is a clinical problem to address without shame.”

Alternatives

Kratom extract products are not approved to treat any condition. “A gummy or shot sold at a gas station should not be mistaken for an approved treatment for pain, anxiety or opioid withdrawal,” Chhatpar said. Fortunately, proven options exist for each.

For chronic pain

The CDC’s pain guideline recommends nonopioid treatments, such as exercise, physical therapy and certain medications, for most chronic pain. If you feel your pain has been brushed off, you’re not alone. Many Black patients say doctors aren’t listening, so ask directly for a pain specialist referral.

For anxiety, stress or sleep

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-studied treatment for anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Also, since chronic stress takes a heavy toll on Black women, addressing stress directly can reduce the pull toward quick fixes. If cost is a concern, check your coverage options for therapy.

For opioid withdrawal

If you started using kratom to manage opioid withdrawal, FDA-approved medications can help. These include buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone, according to the FDA. Unlike gas station products, these medications have known doses and are subject to medical oversight.

Bottom line

The DEA plans to ban concentrated kratom extract products containing 7-OH and MGPI, while plain kratom leaf remains federally legal for now. These extracts act like opioids and can cause dependence, withdrawal and overdose. If you use them and want to stop, talk to a clinician first, keep naloxone on hand and call Poison Help with any concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a kratom high last?

Kratom’s effects usually begin within 5 to 10 minutes and last 2 to 5 hours, according to the DEA, though concentrated 7-OH products can vary widely.

Will kratom be banned in 2026?

Plain kratom leaf is not being banned federally, but concentrated 7-OH and MGPI products are expected to become Schedule I drugs on or after Nov. 13, 2026.

Citations

Drug Enforcement Administration. Schedules of controlled substances: Temporary placement of 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl above a specified threshold in schedule I. Federal Register. 2026;91(198):65370-65381. Published October 14, 2026. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/14/2026-20943/schedules-of-controlled-substances-temporary-placement-of-7–hydroxymitragynine-and-mitragynine

Weixel N. Feds move to restrict potent kratom extracts. The Hill. Published October 14, 2026. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6140069-kratom-extracts-federal-authorities/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS recommends thresholds for enhanced kratom products containing 7-OH and MGPI. Press release. Published October 8, 2026. https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-recommends-thresholds-enhanced-kratom-products-7-oh-mgpi.html

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Kratom. NIDA. Published March 25, 2024. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/kratom

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Kratom. NCCIH. Published July 2024. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/kratom

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Products Containing 7-OH Can Cause Serious Harm. FDA. Published July 30, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/products-containing-7-oh-can-cause-serious-harm

America’s Poison Centers. Poison Centers Warn of Rising Concerns Related to Kratom and 7-OH Products. America’s Poison Centers. Published August 12, 2024. https://poisoncenters.org/news-alerts/13651143

Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Division. Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa). DEA. Published April 2024. https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/kratom.pdf

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA’s National Helpline. SAMHSA. Published 2024. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline

Dowell D, Ragan KR, Jones CM, Baldwin GT, Chou R. CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain — United States, 2022. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2022;71(3):1-95. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7103a1. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/rr/rr7103a1.htm

National Institute of Mental Health. Generalized Anxiety Disorder: When Worry Gets Out of Control. NIMH. Published 2022. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Information About Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). FDA. Published May 2, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/food-and-drug-administration-overdose-prevention-framework/information-about-medications-opioid-use-disorder-moud