7-OH occurs naturally at low levels in the kratom plant, but the FDA is most concerned with products that contain 7-OH in oxidized extracts at high levels, which can be dangerous. In fact, the FDA refers to them as “novel potent opioid products.”

The FDA announced that it is urging the Drug Enforcement Agency to "classify 7-OH as a Schedule 1 substance, placing it on a list of drugs that include heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and ecstasy," said The Hill. This would make the drug harder to obtain at locations like gas stations and convenience stores.

Federal officials said a psychoactive ingredient in kratom had been refined and added to supplements that could quickly become addictive.