When used properly, 7-hydroxymitragynine can deliver a higher level of relief due to its strong properties. Some say it's the only thing that has truly helped them. However, issues with 7-hydroxymitragynine legality often overshadow the therapeutic potential of this important alkaloid. At the state and federal levels, kratom legality is affected by how lawmakers understand this complex botanical and determine its statewide regulation.
Let’s take a deep dive into 7-hydroxymitragynine legality and just how this tiny molecule is making a big ripple in the world of kratom.
What Is 7-Hydroxymitragynine?
Kratom alkaloids like 7-hydroxymitragynine are the active, psychotropic molecules that occur naturally in kratom leaves. These alkaloids work through your body's opioid receptors, creating a common misconception that the plant is an opiate. It's not, but there can be opioid-like effects from some of the alkaloids, specifically 7-hydroxymitragynine.
Despite making up only 2% or less of the total alkaloid content, this powerful alkaloid has a higher impact on how you feel than the far more abundant mitragynine. Although kratom is sometimes touted as helpful, these effects haven't been scientifically proven.
Safety Profile of 7-Hydroxymitragynine
Because of its strength, it's recommended to monitor dosing carefully to avoid adverse effects (like nausea or other digestive issues), and to mindfully recognize the signs of kratom withdrawal symptoms or dependency, both of which may happen with prolonged or heavy use.
The jury is still out on whether kratom overdose is a thing, or if these rare reports are more about 'cocktailing' drugs, alcohol, and kratom use. With all kratom products, consult with a medical professional to avoid complications with other things you take. (And never combine kratom use with drinking alcohol or using illicit drugs.)
Lastly, when shopping for kratom online or in stores, remember that the safety of kratom products purchased also depends on buying from reputable brands—like the Real Botanicals Team!
7-Hydroxymitragynine Benefits & Potential for Therapeutic Use
There are over 44 different alkaloids (active ingredients) found in kratom, including 7-hydroxymitragynine or 7-OH, which delivers many of the benefits of kratom. Because it is so strong, lawmakers may single out 7-OH, kind of like THC is singled out in cannabis legislation.
7-OH—The Stronger Alkaloid
7-hydroxymitragynine offers strong, dose-dependent psychoactive effects on the "relaxation and relief" end of the kratom benefits spectrum. Paired with a high affinity at the opioid receptor, and you've got a minor alkaloid that plays a big role—meaning, this type of kratom contains a higher potential for relief:
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Brightened cognition (stimulant effects)
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Calm energy
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Elevated motivation
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Deeper relaxation
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Greater stress tolerance
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Relief for aches and discomforts
As its popularity rises, 7-OH isolation is becoming more common. As new kratom products fill the market, promising everything from pain relief to a plant-based alternative for opioid use, we're beginning to see more legislative efforts to govern its use.
Read more about 7-hydroxymitragynine benefits here.
Properties of 7-Hydroxymitragynine
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Much higher potential due to strength.
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Effects tend to be more relaxing and sedative than other kratom strains.
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More sedating than other kratom alkaloids.
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High affinity at opioid receptors.
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Highest potential for discomfort relief.
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Of great interest for its potential to combat:
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Pain & discomfort
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Lingering stress symptoms
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Difficulty sleeping
Kratom Is Legal at the Federal Level
Kratom comes from Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Kratom tree leaves are harvested, dried, and powdered, or extracts of the alkaloids are put into liquid form, for imported products purchased in the US or by other countries. Kratom is of high interest worldwide due to its therapeutic potential. In the US, kratom is legal at the *federal level, but its legality gets more complex at the state, city, and municipality levels.
The Kratom Consumer Protection Act is a type of kratom legislation (a legal framework) implemented by states to govern the legality of kratom in the state.
*As of 2025, the FDA has not approved kratom for therapeutic use. The FDA has issued statements of concern about potential risk factors associated with kratom ingestion.
States with Enacted Kratom Consumer Protection Acts (KCPA):
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Arizona
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Georgia
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Nevada
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Colorado
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Florida
There are over a dozen states with pending KCPA legislation as of 2025.
Now that kratom's legal status is a bit clearer, we need to address a growing concern among dedicated kratom users. That is the targeting of alkaloids like 7-hydroxymitragynine for profits, and lawmakers' haste to regulate a specific alkaloid that's largely misunderstood.
This is an alarming trend in the kratom market in the US. One that can affect whether kratom products remain available to you.
Should the U.S. Regulate Kratom Alkaloids?
Kratom itself has come under fire from many legislators who misunderstand (or deny) its therapeutic potential, or who are simply misinformed about kratom's use. With the FDA taking a hands-off approach, state lawmakers are left to make their own decisions about kratom-related laws.
State lawmakers must weigh positive kratom use testimonies, the holes in our current research findings, and frightening reports of opioid withdrawal, dependence, or, in some cases, addiction. Because they choose to err on the side of public safety, many states want to limit your access to the substance.
Safely Upgrading Kratom with 7-OH
One targeted legal effort is to require 7-OH ratios in the final product to mimic those of natural kratom leaves, claiming that adding 7-OH or other alkaloids like mitragynine (MIT) offsets the "natural alkaloid balance." This is a concerning slope. Since all kratom leaves are different, how can we define what's a "natural" ratio of alkaloids and what is not?
Real Botanicals provides several products with added extracts of MIT or 7-OH, depending on which products you're looking at. Instead of lab-producing these molecules, we go the extra mile to safely extract them using ChromaPure extraction methods. This allows us to concentrate targeted alkaloids while preserving their natural integrity.
Buy Kratom Legal with 7-OH
If your needs require the highest level of relief and relaxation, consider kratom products made with natural 7-OH extracts to increase the potency without sacrificing kratom's naturalness. First and foremost, choose a reputable kratom vendor who adheres to your state's laws and does not adulterate or tamper with natural kratom alkaloids. Extracting these alkaloids isn't considered tampering because the alkaloids' integrity is preserved as they are removed.
Real Botanicals offers two types of unadulterated 7-Hydroxy products and ships to states where this type of kratom is legal:
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7-Hydro Tablets 10 & 20 mg
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7-Hydro Shots in 30 mg
Buy 7-hydroxymitragynine products today from the most trusted brand in the industry!
7-Hydroxymitragynine Legality
Amidst rapid growth in the kratom industry, laws are ever-changing. Lawmakers aim to understand what all the various terms are, how kratom works on the body and mind, and its safety vs risks profile.
Keep up with 7-hydroxymitragynine kratom legality by:
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Following state law websites.
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Periodically check the Library of Congress website to see pending legislation.
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Watch the FDA's responses to new kratom trends.
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Stay abreast of advocacy efforts by the American Kratom Association (AKA).
Who Governs 7-Hydroxymitragynine?
Essentially, you do. By your votes. By your public outcries. And by your advocacy efforts to encourage members of Congress to protect your right to make educated, safe, informed decisions about the plant care we choose for our bodies.
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1970 as part of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act. This created the federal framework for regulating drugs and other substances deemed to pose a risk of abuse or dependence. The agency primarily responsible for enforcing the CSA is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), established in 1973.
Hop forward on this timeline to 2016, and we can see that the DEA did move to ban kratom by imposing an "emergency scheduling" of kratom and its derivatives as Schedule 1 drugs. This effort was thwarted by public outcry and advocacy groups defending the botanical's use.
Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
At this time, kratom is not regulated by the FDA as a dietary supplement. The Federal Food and Drug Administration has been unapologetically skeptical about kratom imports and their safety. The FDA largely rejects anecdotal reports of therapeutic kratom use and cites a variety of health concerns over using any kratom products.
Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, seizures of kratom imports have made the news in recent years. In 2018, a federal recall on foods pointed the finger at tainted kratom imports containing salmonella, to avoid an imminent hazard to public health.
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As a reputable vendor of kratom products like 7-Hydro, we do not ever recommend you purchase kratom products that do not explicitly say they are lab-tested in the U.S.
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The U.S. has more rigorous testing standards and state-of-the-art, superior facilities dedicated to screening for salmonella, pathogens, and heavy metals.
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If a batch doesn't pass as safe, it's destroyed (or, as in the above salmonella case, it's seized).
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When buying kratom online (with or without added kratom extracts), the responsibility of safe purchasing falls on the consumer. Select vendors with high standards and who put the safety of their consumers above profits.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress website is a good place to check for 7-OH bans or pending legislation in your area. Here, you can view pending legislation regarding 7-hydroxymitragynine and other kratom products. This can help you monitor the direction of Congress toward kratom regulation.
Regulations for 7-Hydroxymitragynine
Now, what does all this DEA and FDA stuff have to do with 7-hydroxymitragynine? Well, these agencies, plus your local lawmakers, can implement legislation that determines whether you can use kratom or the individual alkaloids that are in the kratom.
In the absence of federal regulation, the states determine what is best. First, state and local lawmakers must understand kratom, its derivatives, the financial impacts of kratom sales in their state, and any kratom-related health concerns or news.
This is where kratom laws can get tricky. Because getting a clear definition of what kratom is and isn't is a challenge. Several U.S. states have enacted regulations on kratom with definitions and restrictions that some consider overly broad, scientifically questionable, or misaligned with the botanical nature of kratom.
Mississippi is a good example of this, classifying "natural kratom" as not having over 1% total alkaloids or capping it at .5 mg per container. Since this doesn't reflect what "natural kratom" profiles look like, natural kratom products with mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine get lumped in with adulterated kratom.
Six states currently ban kratom, classifying kratom and its active compounds, including 7-hydroxymitragynine, as Schedule I controlled substances, effectively banning their sale, possession, and use:
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Alabama
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Arkansas
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Indiana
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Rhode Island
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Vermont
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Wisconsin
See the current legal status of kratom in the US.
2025 State Regulations on 7-OH
You may have seen kratom that specifies the addition of 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7HMG, or 7-OH, indicating its inclusion in a kratom product. Some states are targeting these products, specifically, citing the potential for abuse or alleging adulteration of the alkaloids.
Texas, for example, under the Texas Kratom Consumer Protection Act, dictates that kratom products must not contain more than 2% 7-hydroxymitragynine by total alkaloid content.
Montana takes a similar stance, proposing bans on kratom products exceeding the natural levels of 7-OH in kratom and dictating an age limit. As of 2025, this legislative effort is pending.
These U.S. states have laws explicitly banning the manufacture, sale, or distribution of kratom products containing synthetic or semi-synthetic alkaloids:
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Arizona
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Colorado
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Tennessee
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Illinois (Tinley Park)
2025 7-Hydroxymitragynine Regulations by Country
Some countries ban kratom's alkaloids. The following countries ban alkaloids like 7-OH, making the use or sale of kratom illegal within their borders:
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France
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Ireland
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Singapore
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Switzerland
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Estonia
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Israel
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Japan
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Portugal
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Russia
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Latvia
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Italy
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Lithuania
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Australia
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New Zealand
Points of Concern for 7-Hydroxymitragynine Legality
When discussing the legality of kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine, there are a few things to keep in mind. Points of concern that may affect states and cities that elect to implement kratom legislation. And, points of concern for you when you begin shopping for 7-OH kratom products.
Fake Alkaloids | The Dangers of Synthetic 7-OH
Remember when you shop for kratom and its alkaloids that the quality and safety of kratom products rely on the practices of ethical vendors. Some disreputable vendors may alter the natural kratom alkaloids, or worse, produce them in a lab. Not only is this unethical, it's unsafe for you, the consumer.
The sale of kratom made with synthetic 7-OH molecules (made in a lab) is prohibited in several states due to the dangerous effects these fake alkaloids may have. Many loyal kratom users fear that this may be the biggest issue threatening a kratom ban on 7-hydroxymitragynine in the US.
Many brands opt to simply white-label their products, leading to a general misunderstanding of the quality of products consumers are using. At Real Botanicals, we control every possible aspect of product development, from sourcing ingredients to owning our own processing and lab production.
Risks of Kratom Alkaloid Overdose vs Therapeutic Potential
One major concern for lawmakers is weighing your rights to choose what supplements you take against the risk potential for those supplements. The long-term impact of consuming kratom, its potential adverse effects, and any possible risks are important areas for studying kratom. Also, more studies are needed to adequately define its potential therapeutic applications vs any potential risks for substance abuse and mental health.
Join Real Botanicals
For kratom users who feel kratom has made a big impact on their lives, the worry over attempts to reclassify kratom as a Schedule 1 drug is significant. Know that your letters, calls, and public testimonies can help lawmakers develop the legal framework around this often misunderstood botanical.
Here at Real Botanicals, we work hard to keep all your kratom products, including 7-hydroxymitragynine products, safe, natural, and free from contaminants. We also advocate for the safe use of all kratom products, for a comfortable, pleasant kratom experience with every dose.